Jitterbug, Raw Winter EP

[Uzuri]


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It’s taken London-based label Uzuri only six releases to define its coherent signature sound. 12″s from Cassy, Lerosa, Move D, Vakula and DJ Aakmael have cast Süd Electronic’s sister imprint as purveyor of raw house cuts conspicuously influenced by the genre’s American forefathers. Uzuri’s latest is also Jitterbug’s artistic debut, and its three original cuts and attendant DJ Qu remix fit easily into the mold set out by its predecessors.

“Dream Memory” is an auspicious start to the “Raw Winter EP,” its jacking rhythms leaving plenty of space for the jabbing, Fingers-eque bass line and looming minor pads to court each other. Jitterbug’s attention to and passion for classic Chicago house is evident in his impeccable arrangements, although it resembles a period piece at points. The scuffed up “Speakers Corner” is less derivative but also less intriguing. Its diffuse melodic glow and murky drum programming are subservient to aggressive hi-hat slashes, skewing the track’s balance. “No Pressure” is even more off-kilter, wobbling under the weight of mammoths kicks and cratering 808 claps without much of a discernible exit strategy. DJ Qu makes more sense of “No Pressure” with a bit more structure. Dominated by a gurgling organ line and mesmerizing metallic patter, his revision feels as if it’s hardly moving while inching forward, and makes for interesting after hours fodder. While Jitterbug’s uneven debut speaks to the hurdles nascent artists face in balancing influences and personal vision, its highlights warrant more than a passing glance.

tom/pipecock  on April 7, 2009 at 11:39 AM

to me, this EP is all about “Speakers Corner”. i’ve had that one on mp3 since shortly after he made it, and it has been in pretty consistent rotation. now that i have the wax, i have been dropping it all the time in sets. i can’t believe they didn’t pick it to be the A1!

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