If you've heard Scuba's DJ-Kicks, you'll no doubt recognise "Drowning", a highlight of this ridiculously fine debut EP. It's a pile-driving Berghain-esque twist on bass music, with a distinctly live feel. By his own admission its author, Tim Van de Muetter, AKA Locked Groove, jumps from dance genre to dance genre not to show off his prodigious versatility, but merely because he gets a bit bored. Never has attention deficiency been so welcome.
In contrast to the fist-pumping aural assault of "Drowning," "Rooted" shows up trace elements of the dubstep that Locked Groove weaned himself on. Simple, spattering percussion and glowing pads eventually open up to a squiggly, driving acid bassline and old school Detroit analogue keys. In contrast, "Change" (you'll use "contrast" a lot when critiquing Van de Muetter's work) locks into a classic house groove, laying on top a mutilated vocal sample and a rotorblade rhythm. The breadth of ideas on show here, and their expert execution, leads you to the conclusion that here's a young man that threatens to be a bit special.
Buy Locked Groove - Rooted EP at
  
Tracklist: Locked Groove - Rooted EP
 A Rooted
B1 Drowning
B2 Change
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