- What's your favourite Appleblim EP? That's a trick question—there are none. A man who was instrumental in outlining the late-'00s dubstep/techno axis, Laurie Osborne has been largely defined by his partnerships. Whether with his long-standing relationship with Shackleton or his work with Peverelist, Ramadanman and Al Tourettes, he's surrounded himself with great people. And while he's done solo tracks before, they've never stood on their own release. Until now.
For me, Osborne's strength is his multifarious DJing, but this EP makes a decent case for his productions. "Fluorescent" is fizzy and light, teasing a puffy chord progression before dive-bombing into a '90s house section complete with organ stabs. It has about four discrete sections—an eight-minute track as restless as his DJing. Tinting things a bit darker, "Past Present Future" is the kind of dubby garage track that his Apple Pips label has been pumping out for years. Chrome-plated and sleek, it's so slickly produced that it's almost anonymous. Lacking a keen edge, it can't help but feel underwhelming next to "Fluorescent."
Tracklist A Fluorescent
B Past Present Future