Instinct 01 vinyl

It's not clear who is behind the Instinct label, but with this first release the mysterious producer displays an impressive grasp of dark garage and minimal house. The shuffling funk of "The Way" is an instant hit, marrying the razor sharp beats with melancholic synths and a killer bass wobble. "Pressure" deals in more abstract tones, but there's no let up in the nagging insistence of those crisp hi hats. "Cocktail" meanwhile takes a more uptempo approach with its bongo-embellished beat and subtle melodic fragments woven through the mix, and then "Instinct" knocks the ball out of the park with an utterly deadly 2-step workout for those who love Ghost Records and all that ace, moody pre-dubstep business.