[Soul People Music]

In a recent interview with XLR8R, Fred P expressed his love of the dense, off-kilter tapestry of the mid-90s UK broken-beat axis. Given the rich, sample-heavy weave of his productions, this influence makes perfect sense, and is used to great effect throughout the hazy, jazz-infused jams of Codes and Metaphors 3. But while the best of his work draws heavily on soul, funk, and hip-hop samples, time stretched and layered thick as oil paint, the tracks that make up this release, offer a somewhat smoother brand of skewed soul, pretty much perfect for languid summer nights.

“Amazing” is the most driving track here, leading with powerful kicks and staggered, notably acidic, bass stabs. As is often the case with Fred P, though, it is not so much the samples used, but where they’re placed that makes them so effective. Percussive elements are introduced at oddly oblique angles, bringing a jaunty and disorienting sense of on-the-fly desk wizardry to what could have been a solid but unremarkable house jam. It is this sense of unpredictability that elevates it to something altogether better.

“Love Is,” featuring the dulcet tones of Malena Perez, is a smoother ride, hinging around the “Love is blooming” refrain alongside a selection of dubwise rhythmic hits and clear synths. “Even Greater” treads a similar path, albeit upping the tension somewhat with sharp claps and an increased sense of urgency, while the Aybee remix of “Love is” provides a clearly aquatic vibe — and a satisfactory wind-down to an already horizontally minded set. Fred P has here provided an excellent and effortless end to the Codes and Metaphors trilogy, a truly sexy record that will comfortably soundtrack any number of early-doors sets.