- Having taken the dubstep plunge barely a year ago, it's become patently clear that James Boyle (aka Breakage) is a natural. Of course the same cannot be said for a plethora of other drum & bass producers whose ill-fated flirtations with the 140 BPM template have done little or nothing to enhance their reputations; but then, Boyle has always been just that little bit ahead of the pack.
So how does his first 12-inch of the year hold up? Pretty darn well I'd say. "Together" does exactly what it says on the tin. A sleek, rolling rave number kitted out with rousing vocals, hovering synths and a skull-splitting snare crack, it's one for the dance, sounding not dissimilar to Skream/Benga in their more sober moments. Granted, it's by no means the most innovative piece of music ever made, but played out on a big system it'll do serious damage, and that's basically the idea.
"Rain" on the flip is a far mellower affair, bordering at times on home listening territory save, once again, for that hernia-inducing snare (he is called Breakage). Starting out like a watered down Alva Noto ditto, thick pulses of bass soon enter, held together by a tight, punchy percussive arrangement. Sombre female vocals keep things pleasantly soulful, and we're treated to a satisfyingly low-key drop at the halfway mark whereby the track vanishes almost completely, save for the dim pitter patter of rain, before unassumingly popping back up and lumbering onwards. Very pleasant indeed. Again, nothing revolutionary, but a warm, meandering track tweaked just enough to get a few committed souls skanking (and the rest of us swaying contentedly).
Tracklist A Together
B Rain