Amongst the regular premieres and features as a promotional platform, Simply Deep has also emerged as a respectable label throughout the last few years. Welcoming names such as Opus, Imajika and most recently Ome to the label shows these guys know what they’re doing and look to keep a firm ear to the ground. Their latest instalment welcomes London based J-Shadow with ‘Modulator‘ EP. I’ll be honest and say this is my first experience of J-Shadow‘s music, but looking at this EP and previous works, it’s evident he takes influence throughout UK bass music and doesn’t constrain himself to a particular style nor tempo. Looking at this latest release, J-Shadow experiments with unusual patterns and creative sampling with a focus to make much of it dance floor friendly. None more so than today’s premiere, a remix of the EP’s title track ‘Modulator‘ by Mexico’s very own Pro.Tone.
‘Modulator‘ opens with a view to set the mood. Beginning with very moody, spacious segments built with an array of future-like pads and vocal cuts, J-Shadow gradually builds the track into a dance floor, break-beat filled heater. A sign of things to come. ‘Gene And Effect‘ sees J-Shadow head into realms of experimentation. Sample heavy with a fairly industrial palette, it’s pretty jarring in a positive way; all things intense and moody. ‘Side-Step‘ follows a similar format to the EP’s opener, whereby J-Shadow creates a spacious, down beat soundscape before intensifying the drum work and low end lines. The bass-weight sits pretty damn heavy in parts I must say! ‘Inflations‘ stands as the most unique on the EP with it’s consistent synth stabs and unusual DnB inspired percussive patterns that regularly transform throughout. Then ‘Glaciers’ concludes J-Shadow‘s original productions on the release, displaying more synth heavy, drum n bass inspired creativity.
I’ve mentioned previously how much of a fan I am when an EP delivers a selection of one or two remixes on the back end. So I was happy to find ‘Modulator‘ enjoys not one, not two, but three remixes to produce the EP’s finale! Dance floor killers and UK bass aficionados 9TRANE and Jubley both demonstrate their styles on J-Shadow‘s ‘Modulator’, before the EP goes international for today’s premiere, where ‘Modulator’ enjoys a rework from Mexico City’s Pro.Tone.
SD023 is certainly something different to what is usually looked at and presented on Honey & Bass but I by no means regret it. In fact, I’ve found ‘Modulator‘ EP quite refreshing. J-Shadow brings some serious vibes on this whilst executing a near-perfect demonstration in UK bass.
SD023 is out Wednesday (29th April) and will be available to download here.
Check out J-Shadow on Soundcloud.
Check out Pro.Tone on Soundcloud.
Check out Simply Deep on Soundcloud and Twitter.