- Midway through Retromania, a study of pop culture's obsession with nostalgia, Simon Reynolds concedes that bygone eras can be useful: "The past can be used to critique what's absent in the present." By channelling Chicago acid, Justin Cudmore's 2016 debut for Honey Soundsystem put a fresh spin on a vintage sound. Cudmore's modern 303 treatments, smoother and more buoyant than your average acid growler, were what made "Crystal" and its remixes so engaging. Cudmore summons that same spirit of fun on his new EP for The Bunker New York.
In an interview with Electronic Beats last August, Mike Servito said Cudmore's then-unreleased "Forget It" was his favourite track of 2016. An assembly of flanged bass, scalpel-cut acid, vocal snips and choppy synths, "Forget It" bends and twists in slippery arcs. But for me, the techno-centric "Moment" is the EP's best track. The vocal—an eponymous chant, pitched-down—is more in sync with the groove, landing insistently on the one beat. The speech clips on "Forget It," in concert with that track's playful tone, are casual and distracted. "Sweet Phantasy" and "New Jack The House" have a comparable spring, made possible by Cudmore's considerate arrangements. On "New Jack The House," the bassline breathes and the snare pops as the 303 purrs. Whether crafting airy DJ tools or weighty dance floor moments, Cudmore's gentle touch gives his tracks flight.
TracklistA1 Forget It
A2 Sweet Phantasy
B1 New Jack The House
B2 Moment