Front of Mind EP
In Summer's twilight Fresh Meat bring you as fine a slab as we’ve had the opportunity to offer; Shenoda’s "Front Of Mind EP". Laurie Shenoda, a relative newcomer from Brighton and friend of the Bearweasel kidz, has recently released some lovely music on Hairy Claw, Hypercolour, and Sonido. His fresh humanistic approach is epitomized by the three bangin’ yet deep tunes featured here. Shenoda’s music is driving, made for the club and rooted in soulful house yet these new tracks are freely expressive and refreshingly creative. This contrast perhaps best defines Laurie’s infectious sound, and, of course, makes him a perfect addition to the Fresh Meat crew. “Hussle,” the title track, is an unstoppable jammin’ tribal house tune with wonderful movement and sounds that tickle the ear. The track's mid-range percussion forms the foundation for the odd melodic groove, which to great effect, darts in and out of the composition, seeming to never stop. For the remix, Fresh Meat bring back their latest find, Wiretappeur. Following-up on the wildly popular “I Want You,” Nils, Stel, and Florian turn in an undulating drummy remix of “Hussle” that is clearly made for the dance floor. With a percussive groove akin to the house classic “Damn Woman” by The Good Men, the Wiretappeur remix has the sweetest, most satisfying break heard in a long time. The second original tune, “Rage” contains interesting contrasts between altered triggered voices, great housey drums, and a subliminal melodic groove. The track builds organically, with fluid breaks and several iterations of the same sequence culminating in an ecstatic passage around 4:32 where the funky plastic monotone bass and fluttering syncopated keys are finally allowed to take over. “Too Much” is the most reductionist tune on the EP and is included especially for the track heads. This sexy groover features an interplay of loud strange dark voices (think early Murk), snappy side sticks and a deeper-than-the-ocean sub sonic bass line finished off finally with a great bound and gagged saxophone lick.