Emotional Response steps to summer ‘17 by welcoming with accompanying releases from Out 2 to the label. Evolved out of the Brooklyn based Lectric Sands studio / label and featuring members of their Zoovox and Mazing Vids, this ‘super-alumni’ is a perfect meeting for the label and US brotherhood.
Based around a longtime friendship, this slow-burner project is centered around the NYC life of onetime roommates, DJ sparrers and just possibly the latter day duo behind the Locks & DDM project that was released (semi-)anonymously in 2016, step out in to the (fluorescent) light.
With just one Out 2 track given to the world back in 2012 on Lectric Sounds 1, these recordings have morphed for a near decade to reach fruition in long-form EP and soon to come ‘Showcase’ vocals and dubs album.
While some is known of Mr Jeremy Campbell – forum/blog educator, DJ Tropical Jeremy monikererer, half-a-Zoovox and studio (dub)don - his cohort, the little known R. Zanzibar remains a man of mystery.
Zanzibar’s free-flowing lyrics, shredded guitar and bass grooves come together before plunging into Campbell's wall-of-dub mixing matrix. With fellow Lectric-head, Ben Gebhardt contributing sometimes-synths and general mixpertise, Out 2 offer a timely reminder of the best of their hometowns post-punk / new wave history, but with a laid back irreverence and killer, leg shaking, live-dubbed grooves that are very much for today.
In opener, Zanzibar lays it out. Contrary to song matter, this is impossible to not to be a Downtown-showdown-hoedown. Impro’ lyrical flow keeps your head listening before the off-kilter dub-funk groove keeps you feet…Moving.
Following in Fire, your mind is soon tripping to sonic content and vocal swirls, before it gets all Compass Point, with an discomix inspired, cod-desk-dub.
On the flip Rubber Hour lays a drum-work out that just sits and waits, pulling you further in the midi-groove, before Zanzibar’s floating voice leads to digi-synth bass interplay. Who is top and who is bottom don’t matter, let it ride.
Closer has you listening…closely, with sharp, chopped “No NY” guitar-like-synth, contorting with distorted echo-vox, down to the bottom...but you’re not at the bottom. In fact, this could just be the beginning. Listen Closely.