- He's only released four singles, yet he's revered as one of electronic music's most sacred prophets. While all the hype might seem a little presumptive, Joy Orbison has remained undeterred and forthright in his lambasting of arbitrary generics. Is it dubstep? Is it garage? Dare I get to use the "post" prefix? His three previous releases have pushed the vocabulary of dance music journalism to its most mystifying edge, so it feels almost reassuring to be able to call on an old friend for this latest effort. Yes, that's right: Joy Orbison has made a house record.
That it's really rather good should come as no surprise to most, though the dexterity required to jump successfully from coining styles ad-hoc to making a thoroughly convincing case on the most tried and tested of all dance floors deserves a special applause. "BB" takes its cues from Detroit in the futurist chords and delicately placed snares, while frolics in the bass issue a lightheartedness reflected in the doped-up vocal sample. The confines of four-to-the-floor don't appear to hinder. Instead, they seem to offer the English producer a respite of more familiar fun.
The release will, however, no doubt be remembered for the more sombre tones of "Ladywell." The unlikely vocal star is, in fact, Usher whose track "Let It Burn" is chopped into a mollifying round of ooh-ooh-oohing set over a brewing bass of monotone funk and chords of a well-heeled squelch. The draughty drone places Joy Orbison's house party in the colder urban landscape he's more commonly associated with, though inside, where the music's playing, the warmth is palpable.
Tracklist A BB
B Ladywell