Stereotyp

Stefan Moerth gives good bass. Working under the name of Stereotyp, the 30-year-old producer and graphic designer has crafted an incredibly fresh and distinctive sound. We've been treated to hints of it in recent years, with his Stash It EP and remixes of artists like Peace Orchestra, Juryman and Fauna Flash, but this debut album drives it home mightily. Stereotyp's sound is massive yet minimal, often bordering on distorted madness with crazed beat programming and heavy bass, yet consistently melodic and confident. Though based in Vienna, Stereotyp may well be from another planet. He's soaked up sounds whilst amongst us however, incorporating ragga, dancehall, dub, soul and funk into his mix, flexing versatility while working with a number of different vocalists. His three collaborations with reggae/dub vocalist Tikiman (Basic Channel) are standouts, with the lovely, chilled electronic dub of "Fling Style" going down easy and the distinctive space dub of "My Sound" opening us up to the whole. It's with "Jahman," a mash it up dance floor killer, that the two really take flight, with heavily broken beats held together by distorted bass stabs and crazy depth. Classic! "Royal Jelly," featuring Sugar B (Dub Club), gives a different taste, with a more open and dreamy sound while "All Di Girl Come" goes straight for the dancehall jugular. Stereotyp further hypes it up with "Silence," featuring the soulful vocals of Colee Royce. Here, Moerth puts his twist on drum & bass, with his wicked programming, dark keys and heavy bass translating into pure, infectious energy. But it's with the dubbed out R&B of "Don't Funk With Me" that the deal is sealed. It's a fantastic collaboration, as Stereotyp artfully plays with and builds his sound around the gorgeous falsetto vocals and sex-focused lyrics of Cesar. As good as it gets.