:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Thursday, June 14, 2007 ::

Single Review: B-Lam - Traitor / Mongrel (Ruff)

Frank Tavakoli (aka Rotator / Black Ham etc), of French based label Peace Off and its numerous sub-labels continues with his fascination with Bristol sounds. His releases have been peppered with music by Bristol based artist since 2000, when Parasite appeared on the second volume of the Kamikaze Club series. When he comes here he views the place almost as a spiritual home, or perhaps as a twin town, and he's been keeping up with the scene here through various genres and sub-genres, right up to the dubstep explosion for which he has created the Ruff sub-label.

Local boy B-Lam gets his debut release on RUFF004, which is the first Ruff release to be dedicated to a single artist. The two tracks are closer to the purest dubstep material than most of the other Ruff releases and more so than any of Sam Kidel's other output I have heard.

I often say that I think some of the best dubstep producers are the more mature ones who have moved into it from other areas. My favourite examples would be Atki2/Monkey Steak, Drop the Lime, Mathhead and the rest of the Werk Records and Combat Recordings crew, the first to spring to mind to have moved from breakcore production into dubstep; RLF's mutant downbeat hip-hop (for want of a better description) mutating into Bass-Clef (as he moved from Bristol to London); and Ireland's Barry Lynn (aka Boxcutter), who found a niche outside of Squarepusher impersonation when he found how to apply that to a different genre.

I personally react against tight gentrification and although trying to emulate something can be interesting from a learning perspective it will never be true to yourself or reflected your best potential. On this release I feel B-Lam has strayed too far into the realms of following the norm and not allowed enough of his own sound to permeate into these tracks.

Traitor especially I feel sounds formulaic. I like the intro and I like the lead lines but it never comes to much. It's atmospheric but not engrossing. Even at only four and a half-minutes it seems too long, it really needs some more variation as it progresses. Mongrel, however, holds my attention much better, and the full seven minutes of it is an engaging listen. It's pacier and has a good bassline with the all important wobble. This track is worth getting hold of, I just feel the other side lets it down. I admit I've been a little harsh here because Sam asked me for a critique of his production. That said, for 18-years old he is doing pretty well here and I'm looking forward to hearing his sound mature and develop.

Traitor / Mongrel is out now on Ruff.
Discogs page
Buy it from dSWAT (also includes MP3 samples)

Labels: Review

:: Dan 14.6.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post]    ::
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