Blithe is the debut EP from Howson's Groove, due out next week on Chasing Unicorns, and it delivers a somewhat dizzy collection of London electronic sounds.
Opening with the gentle and breezy guitars of the title track there is an instantly infectious, dubby feel to this EP. With cyclical sub-bass and rattling drum loops it comes from the more experimental end of dubstep, the press release rightly calling out Mount Kimbie. The track even has some of the Eastern feel of that duo's work.
"Attempt" carries on down the same path with strings and a similarly Japanese feel to some of the melodies. There's a fuzzy analogue feel to the sound, with plenty of the crackle and pop layered on to give a suitable tactile feel. "I Wonder" is more robust, with square wave synths plastered across it's rumbling rhythms to create a lush feeling groove. The final original track, "Give Me", features some more electronic moments and a gently swaying, almost garage-like feel.
Two remixes round out the packages with London's Baunz giving "I Wonder" a warm US Garage style mix. Finally Admin's mix of "Give Me" is smothered with deep rumbling bassline whilst electronic patterns gently tweak above in the mid-range. It's a somewhat formidable conclusion to an exciting release from a promising young label.
Blithe is out on Monday through Chasing Unicorns, available to pre-order from Amazon.co.uk on MP3 [affiliate link]. Preview via Soundcloud below: