- Figure hasn't exactly been one for backing young bucks, which made Setaoc Mass's inauguration worth investigating. Manchester's Sam Coates has kept things pretty low-key so far. The gigs have been slowly mounting over the last few years, and the records have followed suit. But this could all change in 2016 with support from Len Faki and Spencer Parker, not to mention the growth of his SK_eleven label.
Numb sees Coates put the driving beats on ice in favour of a more rounded and explorative EP. Opener "Mueh," a smart, moody DJ tool, is all atmospherics and tension building. The shuddering basslines are back on "Solo (Part One)," but our attention is redirected towards the twinkles and tweets fluttering overhead. It's more of the same in "Solo (Part Two)." The beat work, now of vintage electro origin, seems secondary to what else is going on, like those eerie choral mists that take over "Planet Earth" to from a ghoulish, beatless reverie. Compared to all that, "Numb" feels a bit standard, albeit pristinely crafted. As a collection, the EP is strange, with many different functionalities. It's undoubtedly Coates' broadest effort yet.
TracklistA1 Mueh
A2 Solo (Part One)
B1 Solo (Part Two)
B2 Planet Earth
B3 Numb