Many producers and their fans defend limp, threadbare minimal house tracks as “DJ tools” whose usefulness is lost on audiences who hear them out of context. Yet every now and then an exceptional DJ tool comes along that lays bare just how pathetic such an excuse can be. Klas Lindblad, better known as Sasse/Freestyle Man and owner of the Moodmusic label, is rarely mentioned in the same sentence as a DJ tool, as his productions for labels such as Freude Am Tanzen, Dirt Crew Recordings, Keys of Life and his own imprints tend to come out fully formed and ripe for solo play. More than 15 years spent behind decks and drum machines, however, tends to give producers like Lindblad a sense for which additional elements spice up DJ sets, as well as how to work them into a record. His latest as Freestyle Man, the “Vibin EP” for Bear Entertainment sub-label Hairy Claw, shows lazy toolmakers how it’s done.
Like the best of tools, “Vibin” stands up on its own but provides the most impact when nestled into another track. Two vocal samples are the main attraction, inquiring, “Can you feel the vibe?” and clarifying that the vibe is, indeed, “House!” Lindblad winds up the former into tight cycles to generate momentum and occasionally allows them to unfurl, capped off with “house” as authoritative punctuation. Precise timing benefits the few other elements as well: explosive claps are doubled up and perched on the back end of a buzzing bass line, while a pale organ riff constantly shifts its timing to stay out of the way of front-and-center vocals. Placed atop the right foundation, “Vibin” imbues attitude and rhythmic intrigue while leaving enough room for unfussy melodies to shine.
The flip side is reserved for full-fledged tracks, like “Gotta Hold On” at B1. There’s a raw, unresolved tension hanging over its disparate sounds, as if even the track is wondering how its bittersweet combination of a two-pronged, walking bass line, nerve-jangling synth/piano chords and sprayed vocal clips are held together. The Chicago house-influenced “Trailor Ends” inspires more confidence from the start, as all its elements mesh together handily. Grainy percussion scratches at the edges of a plush yet subdued confluence of synth motifs, keeping complacency at bay while boosting after-hours vibes. The “Vibin EP” is an unusual Freestyle Man release whose most utilitarian side is more likely to have its grooves worn out while its more developed flipside yearns for play. Crafty DJs should add this to their crates post-haste.
