Joy Orbison

If you prefer your bass music more linear and bludgeoning, Joy Orbison (now known as Joy O) won't let you down, with another great release. "Jels" leads with a slowly modulating bass arpeggio that turns acidy over the course of a minute, as the single word "time" repeats on beat one of the bars you'd hope it would. Though it takes a little while for the unmistakable big room kick drum to emerge, when it does, it's pure dancing satisfaction. "Wade In" is my pick of the two, featuring an even more urgent rhythm, with staccato hi-hat and dead 808 cowbell making it sound like a Junior Vasquez anthem from 1994. Its hollow sound soon picks up warmth and when it hits the first high synth string break just over a minute-and-a-half in, you're ready for anything. Unexpectedly, an awkward-sounding vocal "um" chimes in and the momentum pitches back down for a while. It regroups with a modulating keyboard polyrhythm that pulls together the elements once again. Then, off-handily, a digital chekere kicks in, adding a little welcome jitter, completing the groove. Another success for Joy O.