- After the world blew up to the notion of the hastily dubbed "purple wow" sound, Guido has seemingly concentrated on getting his game tight before returning to vinyl—save remixes for fellow Bristolians Wedge & Shadz and Tectonic boss Pinch. "Beautiful Complication" and "Chakra" are two cuts that are thankfully worth the wait, having gestated beautifully, osmotically fermenting the funk of his debut, Orchestral Lab, and distilling it into a strong shot of pure soul on the A-side.
"Beautiful Complication" is—to date—the epitome of vocal-led Bristol dubstep. Melting heavy-handed drum work with emphatic, strings and trumpets, Guido gently teases the female vocal peripheries with melodyne, auto-tuning her syllables ever so slightly, contorting them in the same manner as the careering bass line. Marking a definite stride into radio-friendly territory with such a brazenly R&B inspired hook, Guido does it knowing full well that he's got the style and means to pull it off, oozing out a refined and somewhat minimal arrangement.
"Chakra," much like "Way U Make Me Feel," showcases Guido's contemplative side as he lets little snatches of piano trickle behind the snare drums, strings and looped vocals. He manages to merge the harmonies he creates with a bolshie-as-hell midrange hoover bass that allows him to strip back his instruments to let the groove propel the middle sections properly.
Tracklist A Beautiful Complication feat. Aarya
B Chakra