Kelpe

I Felt Fuzzy EP Kelpe

For a label with a reputation for releasing new artists and debuts (Teebs, BNJMN under his Jackhigh alias, Nightwave, Brey) Kelpe is something of a veteran signing for Svetlana. In fact, years before anyone tried to give the style a name - remember ‘wonky’? - Kelpe was dropping the beats with his first EP on DC Recordings way back in 2003, and a year later an album that The Wire called “one of the most engrossing listens in recent electronic music”. After three albums and a bunch of EPs he started to release more widely, including a belter of an EP for Black Acre which got on many end of year top tens. This was followed by a great remix for BNJMN on his 141 EP on Svetlana, so it seems like a fitting progression for the label to be finally be releasing one of his own records. His productions are known for being tough and direct, and he’s one of the few beats artists able to fill and hold a dancefloor, and his live show is justly popular as a result. ‘I Felt Fuzzy’ is something of a new direction for Kelpe, the strong title track already attracting enthusiasm from Boiler Room among others. It combines his usual solid electronic 4/4 platform with a light airy organic feel and a chopped ethereal female vocal, redolent of springtime and sunshine. ‘Cola Mine’ brings a darker flavour for track 2, building by stacking up layer on layer of fat analogue synth with a slightly despondent air. The quirky synth solo is reminiscent of Plaid for their unsual yet catchy melodies, and the tune is funny and serious at the same time. ‘Frosty Kiss’ begins with serious intent. Hissing gas in place of high hats, a mechanical forward motion, a heavy trembling synth bass monotone, then 40 seconds in it launches into classic Kelpe banger - a heavy 100bpm beat, with a beautiful evolving elegiac melody on top, exciting, happy and sad, all at the same time, like the best Aphex tunes. Next up is the vinyl exclusive BNJMN renix of ‘Cola Mine’. BNJMN’s star has risen rapidly in the last 18 months,