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Outboxx - Astro Girl
Label / Immerse Records
Cat # / IME030
Released / June 2012
Style / House
Rating / 3

Over a handful of singles and EPs, largely on Bristol labels like Immerse, Idle Hands and BRSTL, the duo of producer Jacob Martin and keys player Matt Lambert have established a sound that's warm, sunny and rich in detail: never particularly thrilling, but certainly never dull. They return to Immerse for this three-track single, sticking fairly close to their original house-inclined mission statement, though at points flirting with a more electro-leaning palette.

On the A, "Astro Girl" is clearly angling for the most club play, with a bulbous, Bashmore-esque bassline providing the heft under its shuffling percussion. The main focus, though, is obviously the keys: cosmic background widdling at the opening gives way to a killer piano hook. Development comes from yet more lavish keys-work, layer-upon-layer of the stuff: lush at points but often a little too ornate, too detached from the atavist thump that sustains even the most soulful house music.

On the flip, "Back to Phalon" and "Dolph's Vision" tread similar boards—the cosmic sense of space, the minute details like vapour trails in a clear blue sky. The former is the strongest of the lot, its mean NY-ish bassline rumbling along at a leisurely 110 BPM. The latter dabbles most blatantly in electro stylings, though its whipcrack kick/snare grid manages to feel just as laidback as the rest. Still, there's a sense that these tracks are a little too filled in, every crevice smoothed over with Lambert's lugubrious ivory-tickling.



Published /
Wed, 20 June 2012



Buy Outboxx - Astro Girl at
buy this online at juno records


Tracklist: Outboxx - Astro Girl
A Astro Girl
B1 Back to Phalon
B2 Dolph's Vision

Outboxx - Astro Girl

 
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Outboxx - Astro Girl

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j114721wrote
Tue, 26 Jun 2012love the A side!

lorca_musicwrote
Fri, 22 Jun 2012Love this, deffo gonna play a lot

loopskywrote
Thu, 21 Jun 2012i only had a chance to listen to astro girl. nice deep house track without any bristol to it

hmsfwrote
Thu, 21 Jun 2012lighten up angus, you lugubrious little tosser

sellbydavewrote
Thu, 21 Jun 2012Music is there to be enjoyed FFS

That is all

tomgrantwrote
Thu, 21 Jun 2012no idea where this 'bashmore-esque' comment comes from. I think you are labeling something out of geography not by actually listening to it properly. Couldn't give two hoots at the mark out of five, thats personal preference.

Solid tracks as always! Dolph's vision is the hidden gem here.


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