- The latest addition to Melbourne's house scene is Sleep D, owners of Butter Sessions, a blog mostly devoted to championing local heads. Fittingly, the duo's debut release comes courtesy of an Australian label—Sydney's Deathstrobe—and hugs the stylistic path pre-worn by local names such as Tornado Wallace and Mic Newman. "Bacon," the record's first cut, rides extra-low. Its rumbling bassline doesn't drive the track so much as it occasionally pops in to lend a (huge) hand. This sense of lethargy carries over to the other elements, a wandering assortment of bleary pads and interesting piano-like notes. Depending on your taste, the lack of obvious direction will either frustrate or charm.
The other three cuts are nicely varied, but keep to the low-riding theme. "Bubbles vs The Cat" feels more purposeful than "Bacon," bouncing a thick bass refrain off humming organ in a logical-sounding way. The duo's remix of Chet Faker's "Love & Feeling" has a touch of Nicolas Jaar to it, absurdly deep vocals winding their way through a maze of blurry chimes and kraut-rocky synths.
"Ischa" closes out the EP in optimistic fashion. Rolling over a landscape of slappy drums and squelching synth, its affable bloops can't help but lighten the mood. Though these tracks all feel well-arranged, it's hard to shake the feeling that their individual sounds aren't quite as distinctive as they could be. The organ in "Bubbles," for example, is one of those velvety deep house sounds that can begin to sound like sonic wallpaper if incorrectly deployed. These things come with practice, though, and Bacon seems a promising start for Sleep D.
TracklistA1 Bacon (Feat Recess)
A2 Bubbles Vs The Cat
B1 Chet Faker - Love & Feeling (Sleep D Remix)
B2 Ischa