REVIEW: FOOTWORK EP (FORTIFIED AUDIO/BOOMKAT)

Jamie Grind
Footwork EP
Fortified Audio/Boomkat

The success of James Blake suggests that a wider audience are opening up to the broad strokes of electronic music.

For those in the North, Jamie Grind has released his Footwork EP, available on Boomkat as a digital download and soon to be issued as 12” by Fortified Audio, filters the genre of ‘Juke/Footwork’ through the sieve of Grind’s own UK garage and dubstep influences. The result is a lively and energetic EP that strives to pin another Leeds’ flag on electronic/bass music map.

His experience as a DJ tells throughout the four tracks. Grind drops beats, chops samples, loop synths but avoids everything cluttering up, deftly allowing each element to stand up for itself. This makes for some beautiful sounds and for anyone un-familiar with electronica, each track shifts and twists with such uncommon and surprising regularity that it feels like there are about eight tracks. Meaning our short attention spans are continuously satisfied as Jamie layers bass sounds with crisp melodies and soulful snippets.

The company Jamie Grind keeps bodes well for the future – underground hero’s Pariah, Hackman, XXXY and Midland have lined up for his regular Modulate event at The Wire with Louis Saville and his collobration with fellow UK producer Hackman on Saw The Light for this EP is arguably the strongest track on the EP.

Words: Adam Hutcheson

Filed under: Dub-step, dubstep, Electronic by J.G.