Zomby

Enthusiastic enigma and Twitter provocateur Zomby has never had to rely on anything more than his considerable production chops to get the attention of the media and record-buying public. But all narcissistic outbursts and snipes at his peers aside, has he managed to justify his hype on new 4AD release With Love? Well, yes, actually. His pristine interpretations of the detritus of the UK rave scene sound darker and deeper than ever. Zomby has the innate ability to filter the sounds of the past through a hypermodern filter, creating an oeuvre rooted in a halcyon past while simultaneously hurtling uncertainly towards the future. It is a sound that's unmistakably his and is, quite simply, thrilling to behold. The grime and trap aesthetics are a constant on With Love; the sub-bass doesn't once let up, colouring tracks like "With Love" and "Shiva" with a menacing rumble that belies the subtlety and nuances of the melodies contained within. On the flipside, jungle-influenced tracks such as "Overdose" and "777" owe more to the relentless Amen break abuse of Squarepusher than the raggatronics of DJ Hype or Congo Natty. But as with his previous output, regardless of the myriad influences in effect, you never once have any doubts you are listening to a Zomby record.