Veröffentlicht
May 25, 2011
- Big tunes. They're a tricky thing, particularly in the bass music world where time passes at hyperspeed. Floating around Hessle-related sets since January of this year, Blawan's "Getting Me Down" is one of those catchy, instantly indelible tracks; you hear it once and that's enough to fall under its spell. Even though it's only now getting a release (on a single-sided white label, naturally), it's bigger than ever, the kind of track that sets a room on fire, especially now that everyone and their brother has had a chance to hear it at least once.
"Getting Me Down" is a sugary rush of melody and headstrong momentum, but it's got the tight construction to back it up. While the track features Blawan's usual grab-bag of percussive sounds, here he's nailed down to a simpler house template, more restrained than the explosive workouts on his previous Hessle or R&S singles. It's a good look for him, as the resulting squirming he does in his reduced position means there's a hell of a grooving bassline underneath, writhing and grinding and practically forcing dancers' feet off the floor.
But let's be real here: half of the endless pleasure of "Getting Me Down" comes from its rather prominent and elaborate vocal sample. It's a familiar one to be sure, but the way Blawan sews it into his unusual structure makes this even more impressive. Especially once you know what's coming, the first minute of harsh growling LFO and dainty percussion makes the anticipation for the drop almost unbearable. And when the vocal comes in, it's all over: the song's heroine is swept away by Blawan's percussive tsunami, her warbly voice struggling to keep up with the crashing waves and reaching oddly gospel proportions as it's strangled on the track's "chorus." Quite simply, it's one of the most universal, ubiquitous and joyful bass music tracks of recent times.
Tracklist A Getting Me Down