Locus Sound have undeniably been putting in the graft this year. Maes, Ome, Cartridge and Lord Jabu have all had killer releases on the imprint, making this the label's fifth outing for the year. I think the power in locus as a label comes through finely tuned a&r. If you listen through the back catalogue, there's a lot of individual nuances between the sounds of the producers, but the release always ties together in a way that's distinctly Locus while still showcasing the producer's style.
That's one of the reasons why I was quite interested in this release when it landed in the inbox. The 'M001' in the catalogue number designates it as the label's first multi-genre release - the truest test of the A&R technique. Does it pull together cohesively as a release? Does it sit nicely within the other releases on the label?
The answer, you'll be pleased to hear, is a resounding yes.
Title track 'Icarus' in a Reebok ad.
This is due in no small measure to the name behind the release - Roy Bar. If you aren't familiar, a trip through his soundcloud is highly recommended. A chameleonic producer to the highest degree, his tunes cut through genres and across bpms. I think the first tune I heard of his was the eski/purple hybrid 'Gosh', and then the second was the breaksy 'Ode' - two completely different tunes bound together by a shared greaze.
It's that greaze which binds this release together and situates it nicely in the Locus discography. Cycling through 160, breaks, drill, garage, dubstep and DNB is no mean feat, but the execution is on point. You never get distracted by the changes in pace or soundscape, you just get pulled in pulling whatever stupid big choon face you make.
For me, the stand out tracks on the release are 'Hemlock Riddim', which we premiered above, 'Pineapple Kush' and 'Growler'. Hemlock will get ya warmed up with it's breaksy swing, Pineapple Kush will mellow out the vibes and Growler will have your eyes down. I think Growler me the most, it's like lo-fi dubstep which is definitely unique. Purchase links deya: Beatport Junodownload