Dana Ruh - Cave Jams Vol. 1

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  • Dana Ruh is one of those producers who can inject soul into the most barebones of house tracks. Her tunes are straightforward, but they hit hard with real feeling. A lot of that comes from heavy swing and a delicate melodic touch. Ruh recently said she gets that swing by only using drum machines, because they provide "instant groove." But that's not giving her enough credit—not everyone can get rhythms like hers straight out of the box. That swing comes to the fore on Cave Jams Vol. 1, the first in a new series dedicated to straight-to-tape live recordings. Even with such a no-frills approach—or maybe because of it—Ruh's talent and personality shine through. As Ruh said herself, Cave Jams Vol. 1's three tracks are "percussion-heavy, long and mixable." Each has its own character. "Make You" is hypnotic but keeps you on your toes with a droning vocal sample and a wiry bassline that seems to move independently of everything else. "Things That" nods to Ruh's album on Underground Quality—its bassline weaves between layers of snares, hats and hand percussion. The mammoth B-side is the pick of the bunch. Its drums are deceptively complex, but feel effortless. A synth lead smears the track with colour, completing a tune that's both simple and memorable.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Things That A2 Make You B1 Go Hmmm!?
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