A hook-up between Canada's Mood Hut and the label of Peckham's Rhythm Section seemed inevitable. After all, Rhythm Section's Bradley Zero once dedicated an entire two hour radio show to music from the collective, and its members often grace his pool hall parties. But Feelings still comes as a pleasant surprise, simply by virtue of how good it is. Local Artist's prior release, a four-tracker of idiosyncratic house on Anthony Naples' Proibito, was solid but unremarkable. This followup, on which the producer enriches his sound palette and ratchets up the charm, is quite a bit better.
There's not much to these three tracks. Not in material—some percussion, a few chords and a bassline tend to suffice—nor in message, which is the musical equivalent of a gentle hug. This unassuming quality might be the record's greatest asset. "Feelings" shuffles along without a care in the world, its percussion and velvety chords occasionally smeared with delay or made to detonate in tiny echo-chamber explosions. Every now and then the bass skips coquettishly out of its two-note groove, but it always steps politely back in line. "Ozone" might be even better, its yet-looser swing accentuated with a spiky bass guitar lick. The live-sounding drums recall a Mood Hut classic, Jack J's Looking Forward To You, and the two tracks share a sense of summery insouciance. On "Place" Local Artist straightens out the swing but smudges the synths up a treat. There's little to disturb its hypnotic groove save for a voice, presumably his own, which can sometimes be heard humming idly along. If it's trying to imitate the liquid bassline, it's not doing a great job. Fortunately, in Local Artist's world, your best is always good enough.
There's not much to these three tracks. Not in material—some percussion, a few chords and a bassline tend to suffice—nor in message, which is the musical equivalent of a gentle hug. This unassuming quality might be the record's greatest asset. "Feelings" shuffles along without a care in the world, its percussion and velvety chords occasionally smeared with delay or made to detonate in tiny echo-chamber explosions. Every now and then the bass skips coquettishly out of its two-note groove, but it always steps politely back in line. "Ozone" might be even better, its yet-looser swing accentuated with a spiky bass guitar lick. The live-sounding drums recall a Mood Hut classic, Jack J's Looking Forward To You, and the two tracks share a sense of summery insouciance. On "Place" Local Artist straightens out the swing but smudges the synths up a treat. There's little to disturb its hypnotic groove save for a voice, presumably his own, which can sometimes be heard humming idly along. If it's trying to imitate the liquid bassline, it's not doing a great job. Fortunately, in Local Artist's world, your best is always good enough.
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Published /
Sun / 3 May 2015 -
Words /
Angus Finlayson -
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Tracklist /
A1 Feelings (Digital Dub)
A2 Ozone
B1 Place I
Washington DC
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