- If you've seen Joy O recently, you've heard this one. If you haven't, rest assured: it's big.
- For those of us in North America, seeing Joy Orbison on his last run of US dates was the consummation of a decade-plus love affair, with the famously travel-shy DJ finally touching down on the West Coast to play non-festival sets. Needless to say, it was great. Amidst all the jungle, grime and Overmono tracks, the British producer debuted "Pinky Ring," which nicely blends the homespun nostalgia of last year's album with the wave of post-dubstep-baiting mega-hits of today. Clipped vocal samples strung together into a wordless but catchy hook? Yep. Skippy drums somewhere in the realm of UK garage? For sure. A bassline that wibbles and wobbles into the very core of your body? You bet.
For most people, the bassline will be the star of "Pinky Ring," the kind of gleefully monstrous fuel that dubstep used to run off of. But, really, the track as a whole is a marvel: the rhythm hints at early Hessle Audio, though it's as tough and steely as a techstep track, like if someone took Ed Rush and Optical and pasted a big smiley face on their heads. Like so much of Joy Orbison's work, it balances a mean physicality with inviting melody and warm textures. Hell, the vocal even sounds a little like "Hyph Mngo." So many years later, he can still pump 'em out like no one else.