Recommended
HB003 // Birdsmakingmachine
Label: Half Baked
Format: 12”
Release Date: 10/12/2013
House music seems to be something I’ve managed to fall slightly out of love with as of late. Whilst all genres are subjected to over-saturation, House in particular seems to suffer from this, making it difficult to find time to sift through and dust off the gems. Given this, you can imagine my contentment at being shepherded towards this latest warm, sauntering release from Birdsmakingmachine, via London based label and event hosts, Half Baked.
The sultry ‘King Pula’ opens the EP with propulsive, jazz-laced House grooves - off-kilter splutters of piano darting between smacking snares and shuffling hats. The detail afforded to the track is really quite impressive, subtle variations appearing consistently through its duration. Through the breakdown, samples from Jan Jelinek’s ‘Do Dekor’ from the micro-house classic, _Loop Finding Jazz Records, _slowly creep in, before the track’s seductive, dark swing is reintroduced.
'Gnip Gnop' remains equally light its feet, however it loses some of 'King Pula's directness, opting for a more serene approach, utilising head-spinning stabs, echoing between a pointed low-end and gentle, swaying drums.
Alongside the two originals, Japanese born Perlon affiliate Fumiya Tanaka also contributes to the EP, with a glitchy interpretation of ‘King Pula’. Low-pitched, out of focus vocals are added amongst Tanaka’s carefree recast of the track’s original elements, the drums shed of excess weight, leaving skeletal taps and clicks behind.
Birdsmakingmachine have managed to find themselves a pocket of House music that hasn’t been subjected to the over-saturation mentioned in the opening paragraph, and expressed it beautifully through this EP. Simultaneously the release also makes a fitting match to its host, given the relaxed hazy afternoon vibes Half Baked provide through their events.
- Published
- Nov 24, 2013
- Credits
- Words by Theo Darton-Moore