Moe Jatthews – Say My Name

Say My Name is the first release from Bath student Moe Jatthews. This EP is the first we’ve heard from the DJ-cum-producer besides mixes, an example being the fabulous live stream mix broadcast on Freud PTS’s channel. One of the tracks on this release, Allieviate has been floating around Moe’s Soundcloud for a couple of months now, a teaser for what was to come.

Now, to the release. The deep house sensibilities are strong here; listening to Bongo Bongo there’s real attention to the groove element. Snare lines refuse to sit still and sexy little fills precede each new drop, everything is moving. The track is laid back and understated, the bassline bobs along with a kind of laxidasical trot that doesn’t elicit a fist-pump so much as a head bop. Bongo Bongo is a solid track, one to be thrown in the midst of a set to dail things down a notch.

The titular track, Say My Name, stays in line with the laidback vibe. Walter White, sampled here, sounds more mellow than he has ever sounded amidst echoing sine bleeps and the gentlest of kicks. Atmosphere is key in this track, which is why things get a little confused in the mid-section. The energy rises a little and we’re introduced to new set of melody lines that don’t quite ply, the experience is jarring. Heisenburg murmurs through the fog. However as the track plays out, we’re back to delicate and sparse melody and just a enough of a hint of a rhythm section to keep us going.

Now, Alleviate is the standout track on this release. From the outset, that gritty sidestick is distinctive, those pads sexy and distinctly of-right-now. The breakdown is a wonderful modulation of the elements that came before, we’re advised to stare at breats by the authoritative sample, as the filters do their thing. The filter work really steals the show on this track, and maybe even this release. Fine control of that lead sound is what will keep it rattling around my head for the days to come.