Sub Focus’ eagerly awaited debut album has come as a very welcome and unexpected surprise for many, but may disappoint the truly hardcore dnb fans.
I was expecting the bangers we already know and love such as recent funky ass, Pendulum-baiting “Rock It” surely the bastard drum & bass cousin of Daft Punk’s “Robot Rock”.
Tracks like “coming closer” and “World Of Hurt” – carry basslines and distorted synths that are at complete odds with the clear vocals, but are perfectly counterbalanced, rescuing what could have been a little bit of a disaster in unsure hands.
Other drum & bass tracks such as “Follow The Light” move towards the typical Hospital sound without managing to sound quite as Jazz-Wanky as occasionally the Hospital sound can drift towards.
It’s really great to hear some fantastically memorable songs in here also – “Splash” has Euro-riff all over it, as does “Triple X”. There’s a definite and refreshing intent to make a good album rather than just a collection of good tracks.
And that’s the jump off point for what makes this album. Look away now if you’re a Sub Focus fanatic and don’t want to have the album ruined.
This is an album that just happens to have some Drum & Bass tracks on it. It also has some bloody great old school breakbeat, house, dubstep and fidget-house.
This makes it a great album for anyone remotely interested in Dance Music, and contender for the Dance Music album of the year.
Yes, it took me three listens to suddenly realize it, but “Last Jungle” is The Future Sound Of London’s “Papua New Guinea” or just a few samples away from being it.
The fact that it took me three listens is testament to how well it’s constructed.
It bears repeated listening, and it’s respectful enough to get away with it, and has just enough tipping of the hat to early Omni Trio to get away with it.
But when you get to “Move Higher” you’ve moved to a completely different part of the club – Calvin Harris would be proud of the huge riff here.
Overall Sub Focus’ debut album is a testament to his production skills and has some fantastic songs on it, but many hardcore dnb fans might be unable to forgive him for the lack of drum and bass.
However, with Sub Focus’ productions in other genres at such high standards these shortcomings are less important and will be forgiven in time.
