Paul Woolford's two Special Request 12-inches earlier this year seemed to seal the UK veteran's revival, at least in terms of production. A clever merging of UK house trends and jungle, they were infectious, ravey tunes that could sit in all kinds of sets. Six months later and he's got two more pieces of special wax coming out, though number three is a little different.
"Ride" is essentially an unofficial remix of Lana Del Rey's "Blue Jeans." LDR has been divisive to say the least, but her bluesy husk of a voice turns to putty in Woolford's hands. The vocals sound like they're trying to dodge the flying percussion, a hailstorm of breaks and rude synths held down by grumbling Reese basslines. The instances where her voice melts into the synths are particularly impressive, as is the sudden breakdown into grubby slap bass. The flipside holds the "Side Ride" VIP mix, essentially an instrumental version with 50% more slap bass and the go-to cut for those who can't stand Lana Del Rey. The way Woolford so deftly deals with the breaks—bouncing them from bar to bar and happily indulging in midair somersaults—feels like some of the most natural drum manipulation since the heyday of jungle itself.
Tracklist: Paul Woolford - Special Request #3
A Ride
B Ride VIP
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