Don't Go // Sepia!

Sepia! is someone who is very hard to keep track of. Forever uploading new music spanning all manner of different styles, it can often seem like Sepia! aka Theo Bennett, never feels completely comfortable in one musical model, like an impatient child frantically opening his Christmas presents. However, this is no bad thing, and as a result of his restlessness, his production skill has become all the more nuanced and intricate from each new exploration, understanding the subtleties of different genres and sounds.

Don’t Go is a particularly impressive showcase of ideas hanging in the dark house end of the UK Bass spectrum. Mechanical clangs and churns drive the track forward, like the loud grinding of gears from a monster-truck. Vocal jitters and machine-like smacks overflow from one bar to the next, keeping the rhythmic feel ceaselessly uncertain and ambiguous. Nevertheless, the beat stays held strong by a kick so sturdy it would make Shed blush. The vocals pan across the field, making them an essential textural component, rather than as a sing-along hook. Which is good because a vocal line that was more melodic would most likely sound cheesy and would detract from the density of pulsating blasts that motor underneath.

If you’re one for hearing fresh dance music coming out at breakneck pace, following Sepia! wouldn’t be a bad idea – check out his other experiments in garage, grime and dubstep to get a grasp of the virtuosity of Bennet’s production.

• Published
• Nov 19, 2012

• Credits
• Words by Georgie_McVicar