Keysound (2010)

With this label you get thrown directly into the city mix. Admittedly, we're just spectators standing on the curb, but this immediate slice of a scene is one of nighttime LDN in transit what with the bus zooming by. On the this side of this vinyl, there's a quote, "You, me, everbody on the 38 bus," and with the "38 EP" title, it's pretty clear that this release was made with a particular locality in mind. The picture has both movement and a sense of place, which I think works perfect with the music. The LV boys are locked into some forward tilted beats and unexpected sounds, while poet Josh Idehen rips it and I don't mean in a 1999 slam poetry kinda way. Also, their Routes full length is worth checking for with its get on the get on the get on the get on the get on the "Northern Line" track.

Recently there's been a palpable backlash against the concept of music or DJs taking you on a journey. I can think of a couple reviews in the last month or so, only one of which I can find, that try to reject "the journey" notion as cliche -- but then go ahead and fall back on it anyway. Anyhoo. The ideas of locale and travel in relation to music are recurrent themes with almost all of the releases on Keysound, which I have definitely come to appreciate. One of the label heads, Martin Clark, wrote a while back about how he was really proud that so many of the labels on Keysound had pictures of locations that were somehow associated with the recordings or artists. In a moment when it's so easy to fall into feeling like all music is becoming increasingly deterritorialized, it's pretty dope to stumble on sounds like this that are so firmly rooted in place.

And all of this is to say hold on to your hats. Now that I got Halloween out of my system yesterday, it's time to get on the bus, we're going on a ride with some of my favorite labels.