- LA's queen of swing returns with a monster EP of 2-step and grime-inflected garage.
- It's hard to believe that Introspekt isn't actually from the UK. Over the past three years, she has established herself as one of the foremost producers (and scholars) of the bass music dark arts. She's released on labels like ec2a and Practical Rhythms and shared the decks with the likes of Conducta and Sam Binga. And even though it's tempting to add the caveat that she has the hardcore continuum down for an American, not many are doing it better than she is—on either side of the Atlantic. Case in point: her latest EP, Forlorn. Landing on Bristol stalwarts Shall Not Fade's UK garage-focused sublabel, Timeisnow, Introspekt offers a masterclass at 140 BPM, from sultry 2-step to vintage grime.
In her DJing, Introspekt balances big and bold sounds with subtle detailing (just check out this mix). Each track on Forlorn unfolds with a similar effect. The title track, for example, offsets its larger-than-life bassline with wafts of sax, giving the whole thing a decidedly grown-folks feel. On closer, "It's Cold Up North," using just snares, kicks, and a bit of Reese bass, she distills 2-step down to its minimal essence. Elsewhere on the EP she looks to the early '00s, when you were just as likely to run into the Artful Dodger as Wiley at record label studios. Both "Style So Hot" and "What Target (2003 mix)" have a distinctly proto-grime feel with icy synths and dripping 8-bit chord progressions.
While Introspekt's sound may be inspired by the British Isles, she's also a key member of the American queer underground. She's part of Eris Drew and Octo Octa's T4T LUV NRG crew and regularly shares the stage with the likes of Bastiengoat and Bored Lord. What Forlorn makes clear is how she's more than an imitator—she's reinvigorating the genres she's working with. Bringing an outsiders take on insular genres, Introspekt represents the diverse and global future of UK garage.
Tracklist01. Starved
02. Forlorn
03. Style So Hot
04. What Target (2003 Mix)
05. It's Cold Up North