Local Group – Fresh Rhythms EP

Description

UK duo Local Group (aka Corporeal Face and LMajor) follow up their sold out ‘Laser Dome’ EP and appearance on ‘Secret Rave 4’ with a ‘Fresh Rhythms’ EP that may contain tracks up to three years old.

After last summer’s appearance at Field Maneuvers, the Oxford festival they’re residents at, one punter requested ‘Local Group for 36 hours straight’ in 2020. Negotiations are on-going. In the meantime, this four-tracker provides almost 25 minutes of their ‘Field Maneuvers famous’ sound. Traversing breakbeat styles and tempos, ‘Fresh Rhythms’ outlines the roving rave sound that has seen Local Group play alongside DJs from Eris Drew to Grooverider. ‘Baby Talk’ self-identifies as a ‘Hardcore Summer Anthem’. It’s got uplifting piano and a glissando, the classic switch up between light and dark, and a spine-tingling vocal that fitted like a silk glove.

Why wear a silk glove in the studio? It helps EQ your snares, bro. ‘Fresh Rhythm’ is ‘avin’ it 150BPM hardcore acid breaks with a brief but cheeky donk mid-section. It’s the title track but is on A2. A mystery deeper than the cover of The Beatles ‘Abbey Road’ album. ‘Stolen Dreams’ continues the acid, but in breakbeat house form – in reverence to 1992’s ‘XL- Recordings: The Third Chapter - Breakbeat House’ compilation. Samples various favourite tracks about dreams, hence the title. Follow your dreams.

They may be cheating on you. ‘Back In The Daze’ is late 90s D&B, a formative era for Local Group, channeled into 130 amen breaks and topped with the sort of soulful vocal loved by all-time hero Manix. As the saying goes, if you can remember the 90s you weren’t there. At a squat rave. On K.