Cobby & Welton Absolute EP

Steve Cobby and Laurie Welton are both from Hull in the North of England. Cobby is one of the members of the pioneering electronic outfit, Fila Brazila, while Welton is the man behind the Myth! Project, whose "False Profits" EP was released last year on Posthuman's, Balkan Recordings label. In fact, Cobby has known Welton's aunt for 20 years and Laurie has been a fan of Fila Brazila since the early 90's. So, when laurie was asked by Steve to collaborate with him, he jumped at the chance. The fruits of their collaboration are the three tracks on the "Absolute EP.: This release is truly and internationl affai; the label, Adam Warped's Whiskey Pickle imprint, is based in Austin, Texas, the artists are from the UK, while a remix of "Absolute" comes from New Yorker's Whatever Whatever, a duo staffed by Bryan Mette and legendary NY DJ, Justin Strauss. "Absolute," in it's orignal form, ia a tough, but breezy, chugger with a chunky, forward-lurching bass line, loose, splashing beats and a lush, pretty, synth tone. A beautiful, electric piano chord punctuates proceedings while a sample from Laurie's favorite guru intones "Absolute existence, absolute knowledge and abosolute bliss" throught. IT's balearic accented house of the highest order. "Limoncello" is a seductive exercise in placine delicately balanced chors, Rhodes flourishes and unusual tones in close proximity. These tones are probably gleaned from some of the unconventional instrumens and odditems Laurie uses in the studio. He owns a Moroccan instrument called a Quarkeb and used a pair of toy, plastic hands he got in a Christmas craker to create a castanet sound. The track is subtly acidic, pushed by an understated bass line, a striding beat and a nicely placed clap. A number of different keyboard sounds wheel around the mix and create a gorgeous sunset of early morning feel that is hard to resist. The EP finishes off with a remix of "Absolute" by Whatever Whatever. It is a stargazing and elegant invention that sits atop a buzzing, chewy bassline, which marches boldly through the track. The guru sample appears regularly and as the track progresses, the bass line becomes increasingly acidic while a number of lucious keboard sounds appear, fade and reappear. The drive of the bass line, as it converses with the woody, crashing snare, leads to a dramatic, synth chord sequence that lifts the track and creates a sense of joyful urgency that will make this tune an effective building tool for the DJ who likes his crowd on an ever escalating, emotional ride. This is a musically satisfying and very danceable release that will appeal to DJs in several genres. There will be more to follow from Whiskey Pickle, deep in the heart of Texas.