If I Told You EP // Lorca

Label: 2020 Vision Recordings

Format: 12”/Digital
Release Date: 01/04/13

We’re a big fan of Sam Cassman’s Lorca project here at Stray Landings. This will be our third review of his music since he first caught our attention, and it’s well deserved. Cassman has an almost unrivalled consistency as a producer, as well as notoriety as a DJ, etching his way further up the bills of Brighton’s Aka Aka Roar line-ups – a night which I hope to see Cassman headline soon enough.

“Have I Told You” opens the EP with immense intrigue. The block hits and rides groove in an infectious manner, making it near impossible not to move with them or tune them out. These are subtly overlaid by the kind of vocals that have become Cassman’s signature. It’s rare to see a producer have a trademark musical motif that can be instantly identifiable, but his vocal work is distinctly subdued in character, and is always tastefully refined from the excessive repetition and sleek cutting style that is so prominent in the likes of Disclosure et al. Similarly, ‘Searching’ manages to strike a perfect balance between robust rhythms and delicate ambience, as frosty pink noise harmonies, hover above a bellowing sub bass - a combination that would allow it to translate just as well to headphones as to a club system. There’s also an interesting remix from Citizen, and although it’s often nice to get a variation of artists on an EP, I feel as if this particular addition is unnecessary, since it doesn’t exhibit as much technical expertise or dynamic nuance as the rest. However, it is arguably more club-friendly than the others, so perhaps a welcome inclusion.

Nevertheless, it’s ‘Giant Stars’ that is my firm favorite, and it’s nice to see that it’s finally materialized on to an actual EP given that it’s been floating around the blogosphere for well over a year now. Indeed, ‘Giant Stars’ was the track that first focused our attention to his work, all the way back in 2011. It’s reassuring to know it doesn’t sound dated or passé despite it’s age, and to the contrary, Lorca’s music has an almost ‘classic’ sound to it, one that could permeate even the most stubborn of musical tastes.

• Published
• Apr 10, 2013

• Credits
• Words by Georgie_McVicar