Rhythms
About
Amy Dabbs brings irresistible uptempo sophistication to a trio of house, garage and jungle bubblers
London-born Dabbs returns to Aus Music for the first time since her Into You EP
Berlin-based Amy Dabbs is a pure vibes merchant. Her music is all about feel-good and high-impact sounds that move body and soul. She works across breaks, jungle and house on her own Dabbs Traxx label and the likes of Unknown to the Unknown, HE.SHE.THEY. and Heist. Her Rinse FM shows, residency at Renate in Berlin and sets across the underground's most cultured clubs traverse many different worlds with knowing style.
The title of her latest release says it all: this EP, as reflected in the fluidity and motion of the artwork, is an exploration of rhythm across different moods and tempos. It's characterised by Dabbs' magnificent use of the Juno 106 synth, which lends the music a distinctly emotive edge, whether at down at 128 bpm or up at 160 bpm. Both of those feature here, as does plenty of her signature drum programming, which keeps her intricately composed productions feeling fresh, live and direct.
Opener 'First Love' kicks off with a dusty amen break that nods to Amy’s love of jungle, but soon evolves into a slamming house cut laced with hints of UKG. An aching vocal cry, splashy 707 rides and glowing chords all lead to fervent dance floor carnage. 'It's Not Me It's You', serves up Dabbs’ self-confessed trademark “lovey-dovey jungle", delivering the first ever 160 cut on Aus Music. It features a brilliantly reconstructed amen break with all-new drum sounds, combining deep house magic with powerful drum and bass percussion; this track highlights Dabbs’ studio skill when it comes to laying down complex rhythmic patterns that sound effortless, whilst shimmering chords, sustained pads and refracted vocals all add serious emotional heft. Last of all, 'Up In My Frills' is another seductive garage-house fusion with a bubbly, old-school bassline that never quits. It's a fist-pumping gem with a big heart, wailing sirens and pitchy vocals that overflow with tingly feels.
Amy Dabbs' 'Rhythms EP' comes via Aus Music on July 4th with First Love dropping on 18th June.