- A couple of years ago, The Guardian wrote, tongue slightly in cheek, about the advent of the "sad banger." Sam Richards was describing the introspective electronic music of James Blake and others, but for whatever reason this phrase came to mind when listening to Saint Isidore, the debut of Irish producer Ron Blanco. As a crunchy house EP, it doesn't have much in common with the artists in that article. But in its velvety pads and understated melodies, the tone is brooding. Mall Grab's remix of "I Wait" struck me for how easygoing it was compared to the other tracks. The Australian producer rearranges Blanco's moody original into a leaner, breezier house cut.
The rest of Saint Isidore is more worn down, which can be a strength. The sound of a creaking hinge becomes a rhythm that bounces alongside chopped-up funk on "Isidore Of Seville," a track whose rusty sounds have a thrown together charm. On the other two tracks, Blanco's pensive atmospheres take precedence, which is less convincing. "Blinded" and "I Wait" are by no means bad—the former's ethereal synth tones are more than capable of creating a dance floor moment—but they suffer from overfamiliarity. Blanco's chord sequences on "I Wait" and the choral synths of "Blinded," in particular, generically express melancholy. The dark side of Saint Isidore keeps Blanco's personality from shining through.
TracklistA1 Blinded
A2 Isidore Of Seville
B1 I Wait
B2 I Wait (Mall Grab Remix)