- The title of TSVI's recent single for Enklav, Simple, Straight, Raw, gives you a sense of what he's about. The London-based Italian's latest EP switches focus, from boshing ghetto house to something closer to home. UK funky is a pronounced influence on Sacred Drums: "Darabukka," with its minor-key string melodies and rolling, soca-like syncopations, is one of the more successful recent attempts to refresh the style. Elsewhere, similar elements—thundering snare rolls, percussion flourishes, distant whoops and birdcalls—are built into more universal drum tools. Lean, dramatic and groove-focussed, these tracks could work equally well in a Livity Sound set, at a Janus party or in a sweaty techno basement.
"The Healer" builds the suspense with whipcrack snares and throbbing low-end. Other tracks go for peak-time. "Parade" is a punishing midrange assault: TSVI squeezes the odd dissonant string chord in there, otherwise it's all drums. "Assam's Children" shifts the rhythmic focus onto layers of bouncing claps, giving the syncopations more air to breathe. Two digital bonus tracks stretch the EP's refined palette a bit thin, but it doesn't really matter. The 12-inch is a drumophile's embarrassment of riches.
TracklistA1 The Healer
A2 Darabukka
B1 Parade
B2 Assam's Children
Digital: Egyptian Sensation feat. Luru
Digital: Aziza feat. DJ JM