- While the ongoing 2-step revival-sometimes dubbed "future garage"-has no shortage of proponents, finding something actually interesting to do with the sound is a task that becomes harder by the week. British producer Submerse is one of the most prominent names in the genre, and he can usually be counted on for something big, gushy and infectious. He fulfills his role on his debut appearance on French label Airflex Labs, bolstering relative unknown Neat's pretty but plain beats with analogue touches and grandiose details.
"Close" splits the difference between skittering UK garage drum patterns and a straightforward four-to-the-floor pulse, as the song's strobe light of a chord progression (it's actually just one chord) seems to slip and stumble over the interlocking snares and hats below. The track is pure drama as elongated, reversed synths and rubber chord stabs stretch out over the percussive mayhem, a level of detail and maximalism not often found in a brand of music so obsessed with politely reviving the past.
Backed with two clever remixes, Airflex accomplish the rare task of curating truly unique reworks that feel like more than just name-dropping fillers. FaltyDL emphasizes the sadcore side of the track, sounding like a particularly poignant leftover from You Stand Uncertain (complete with the "play with my heart" vocal sample), breaking out unpredictably into a jazzy shuffle before settling back into receding waves of wistful piano. Whispered-about newcomer Jack Dixon justifies his growing reputation with a gently chugging remix that gradually lifts off the ground as its glossy mercurial textures saturate the foreground.
TracklistA1 Close
B1 Close (FaltyDL remix)
B2 Close (Jack Dixon remix)