After the success of last single ‘Think Twice’ the UK based production duo Bahar Canca & Matt Williams strike back with 'Mr King'.

The lead track’s homage to the brass instrument master kicks off with tinkling, dripping minimal sounds, before the live saxophone (played by Mr King himself) wraps around the sexy, funky beat at the drop.

A.Balter offers a washed out, more morose version, swapping the major-tones and feel good funky vibes for deep, driving and shadowy minimal tech vibes, offering the perfect antidote and catering for those dark winter nights yet to come.

‘Nilay’ - from the get go, its stepping, funky beat is anchored down by crisp and acutely-programmed percussions and pulled back hoover-squelches, a tech-trance flavour before sweeping synths take us to the background, again aided by the usage of live Clarinet instrumentation – the drop then explodes with ascending basslines, techno nuances and perfectly placed woodwind riffs.

PR companies don't make it easy for us do they? I wasn't even sure I was reviewing the correct EP here. The track names on the burned CD-R bared no resemblance to the actual names and artists. It was only the fact that the track lengths tied-up with Amazon's listing (and the fact I could then listen to a brief segment of each track on Amazon) that confirmed I was reviewing the correct EP.

Of the two major offerings (there are two mixes of both tracks) here I preferred the first mix of 'Mr King' - not that the remaining three tracks aren't interesting. Maybe the reason I enjoyed this track so much was because it reminded me of the instrumental version of The Prodigy's 'Fire Starter'. I say "reminded me" but to be honest it feels like a serious case of plagiarism (with a saxophone added to throw you off the scent).

The remaining three tracks compliment the first one. This is an upbeat EP that you'll fall in love with.

7

Nick Smithson