- Although Tom Kerridge's Ramp imprint is more commonly associated with the latest developments in hip-hop and dubstep, their signing of Maryland's Maxmillion Dunbar is yet another indication of their refusal to be pigeonholed. Acting as a precursor to his forthcoming Cool Water full-length, Girls Dream is Dunbar's second 12-inch for the label, with the title track displaying his knack for knocking up syrupy slo-mo house grooves. Clocking in at below the 100 BPM mark, it's difficult to foresee its gently prodding organic loops and sampled Roland drums being utilised outside a warm-up situation, but it certainly does the job, lulling the listener with its hypnotic charms.
"Bells Dream Dub" offers a more stripped-back take on the same formula, replacing the original's thick melody lines with lashings of bongos in a pleasant but forgettable fashion. Thankfully, the ambient take on forthcoming album cut "Lemon & Lime" which completes the package is much more interesting, with Dunbar's heavily reverberated plinking synths and submerged robotic voices bringing to mind the more pastoral side of Berlin's Morr Music imprint. It might not go down that well with Ramp's core audience, but lovers of gorgeous low-tempo grooves are well advised to check out this particular twelve from a label that's as happy to confuse as it is to enthral.
Tracklist A1 Girls Dream
B1 Bells Dream
B2 Ambient Lemon & Lime