Ben La Desh is back for the third outing on Sleazy Beats’ offshoot Black Ops with three cuts that are at once simple, subtle and satisfyingly rich in texture (having previously kick-starter the sub label with Stop That Groove Girl, which centred around an insatiable, heads-down percussive groove).
On the opener for Rebound Round EP, the Dutch producer slings a crisp beat over a dream-like churn of murky synths. ‘Escape Route’ is arguably the highlight, pushing a repetitious timbale groove at a gently chugging tempo. The distant murmur of African chanting wafts in and out, whilst a delicous marimba melody makes an understated appearance. Similarly, ‘Bohicon Bossa’ offers another refined take on exotic rhythms, this time plundering favela climes, with some Latin American percussion and muddied trumpet samples.
On first listen these tracks are unlikely to slap your around the chops, but it is this utter restraint – found for instance in the polite tinkle of marimba on ‘Escape Route’ or the delicate progression of ‘Bohicon Bossa’ – that makes this sort of house so compelling.
Sleazy Beats Black Ops | Released: April
