This won’t be out until January but it’s one of those records that the world needs to know about right now! Prime electro-driven grooves drenched in the kind of soul, musical innovation and sheer sonic majesty which explains why Canada’s Matt Chester performed alongside UR in London. The man, who is now based in London, has that indefinable knack for injecting emotions into the machines and letting them fly out as genuinely heart-lifting vehicles which also galvanise the feet with their undulating electro-flavoured funk groove foundation. Matt started out by setting up online magazine 11th Hour Technology, which mushroomed into a label launching with his ‘Into The Fall’ debut in 2004. Enjoying escalating acclaim, Matt is set to go ballistic with this jawdropping EP. By the time the clattering beat of the opening ‘Kick It’ has welcomed its bison-testicle bassline and building strings escape is impossible, the killer blow administered by none other than the mighty DJ 300, who’s causing ripples himself at the moment. His mix is a veritable hi-tech soul epic, episodically proceeding through shimmering synths, Detroit string slashes, a soupcon of acid and dominant space-theme, all underpinned by his trademark percussion. That would be enough but ‘Cold Restraint’ kicks the emotional content into the heavens with euphoric blocks of sound and interweaving melodies before ‘Down And Out In EC2’ kicks up another electro-mutant groove and ventures deeper with swirling melodies, strings, pads and the real feel of a Detroit classic. Phwoar, this made me happy and will you too!
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
