The press release for Addison Groove’s new album hits the nail on the head, revealing how Antony Williams’ influences have moved on from early Chicago house to raw Bristol drum & bass. That much is shown from the guests he brings on board – principally DJ Die, who contributes to ‘Has The Flavour’. It would be wrong to pin this album down to one particular style, though, because what Williams brings to the table is a set of beats notable for their invention and freedom. There are rawer bass sounds in ‘Warped’, for sure, but ‘The Spirit Level’ flits its beats between four to the floor and a more breaks-based approach. Meanwhile ‘Just You’, featuring a strong and slightly edgy vocal from Josefina, brings some cooler night time dubstep into the equation. Williams fits these different nuances into the ebb and flow of an album, only occasionally losing a bit of focus, and the twists and turns of his beats are consistently satisfying, as are the alternations of instrumental and vocal. Definitely one to try out!
4 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
