SUBB AN レコード& CD

Review: With such a heavyweight trio of tech-house talents involved, you'd expect this surprise studio hook-up between Enzo Siragusa, Archie Hamilton and Subb-An to be rather good. Predictably, both tracks hit the spot. A-side "Playdem" hits all the right notes, with the experienced threesome wrapping creepy chords, jaunty piano motifs and carefully chosen spoken word snippets around a fireside-warm bassline and snappy, handclap-heavy machine drums. The fun continues on flipside "Shimmering", a ludicrously loose and bass-heavy roller blessed with deep and trippy electronics and just the right of late night funk. Really, though, it's the weightiness of the sub-bass that hits home hardest.

Review: UK mainstay Subb-An makes a welcome return with this fresh new EP on Aesthetic. It finds him in great form with opener 'Seeing Colours' heading off down a nice liquid minimal route with crisp tech drums and twinkling synths up top to bring the magic. On the flip side is 'Plants', a rather serene and sublime cut with more rolling drums and plenty of deft synth designs that bring a certain celestial charm to the fizzing leads. Snad's remix then shuts things down with a more driving sense of tech house rhythm to complete a tasteful EP of heady sounds.

Review: Subb-an returns with a dynamic EP on the Sub Series imprint, which follows up his successful debut release on the same label, and hears an expansion outwards into heightened musico-conscious states, for an ultimately enlightened Dharmic subject matter (the EP is 'Conscious', after all). Packed with four equanimous, solid club tracks, ranging from garage house to brooding acid, the EP flaunts Subb-an's distinct style and vision, moving through intricate rhythms to hypnotic basslines, each track carefully crafted to create an stabbing, immersive experience.

Review: Following up that excellent Synchronicity on EP Phonica AM a couple of months back, hero of the Birmingham scene Subb An returns with more underground quality with this new one on the mighty 20/20 Vision. 'State Of Flow' is an emotive and breathtaking affair that's equal parts acid, progressive breaks and UK tech house with a seething Reese bassline lurking throughout that underpins angelic vocals. Over on the flip, remixes come from Adam Pits who takes you beyond the strobelights to reach for the lasers on his ravey take, followed by Armec's menacing experimental techno rework.