While everyone’s twisting himself into post-dubstep contortions, Addison Groove (Anthony Williams), strikes a throwback B-Boy pose on his debut album Transistor Rhythm, out now on Modeselektor’s 50 Weapons label. With a little help from Spank Rock, Williams presents a Roland TR 808-inspired songbook of transatlantic bass.
Established by 2007 as a key dubstep player, the UK native also known as Headhunter secured his cred as Chicago juke-master Addison Groove with 2010’s jittery footwork classic, “Footcrab.” For a few years now, he’s been smacking up British rave music with stateside ghetto-tech bravado. So it’s refreshing to see Williams chuck expectations at his peak, narrow his focus and release a collection of retro-tinged tracks fit for future-minded purists.
“Savage Henry” is a simmering, rolling, stuttering opener; “Bad Things” should be every fancy lap dancer’s anthem; “Rudeboy” is rave-grade IDM; “Sooperlooper” is a tribal Euro stomper; “Energy Flash Back” is an ambient, chill-out treat; “Night to Remember” gives Cory Daye’s big band disco vocals a hoochie pinch; “Dance of the Women” gets an extra toasty dub from Mark Pritchard. And so on, over 13 meticulous and booming tracks.
For all its flawless exuberance, however, when taken as a whole, the bounce starts to sag towards its closing third. At some point, even the hardest B-boy must rest his bones. Fortunately, this is also where the tracks get more abstract and expansive. Transistor Rhythm may not be the future of dubstep (or Williams), but there is plenty to enjoy here, most notably Addison Groove‘s pantheistic devotion to inner city body music.
Stalk Magnetic