L.M.Y.E. – Lend Me Your Ears
Apron Records has continually produced a wide range of house and techno since 2011, from the stripped-down electro of Greg Beato to the bumping house sound of Shanti Celeste. The latest release features new production pairing L.M.Y.E with their self-titled debut, Lend Me Your Ears. Having apparently met at Bristol record shop Idle Hands, the two friends combined their passion for music and began producing together. The release brings to the fore another contender in Bristol’s ever-growing house scene with a number of natives making their mark on the U.K over the past few years. From the above-mentioned Shanti Celeste to new labels like Happy Skull, Lend Me Your Ears cements L.M.Y.E amongst the city’s established house fraternity.
We’re introduced to the A-side, ‘Cali 76’, with a slightly distorted kick drum running alongside rattling percussive licks. The bass-line shortly follows and instantly transports you to a sun-kissed Californian club lounge. Sharp guitar licks intersperse soft sounding pads that gently carry the rhythm forward, tinkling piano lines gently teasing the beat with quiet confidence. The influences of Moodymann or Seven Davis Jr can be heard in the curious interplay of instrumental hooks and raw, shuffling highs overlaid on a relentless beat. A short and subtle breakdown gives way to skipping snare rolls, bringing the track to a crescendo of lounge, jazz and house sounds interwoven with polished precision.
The B-side, ‘Pays to be Pushed’ explodes out the gate with a bumping kick-drum and a huge piano stab hooking the listener for its entirety. It’s another delightful slice of sun-soaked music with swinging percussive flashes and an infectious guitar hook intermittently tugging the heartstrings. The varying piano stabs continually work up and down while L.M.Y.E use the short percussive breaks to introduce a series of soulful phrases, nodding distinctly to the post-Dilla sounds of Madlib or Peanut Butter Wolf. It’s clear from both tracks that the two Bristolians have a deep understanding of music, with a release that combines house, hip-hop and jazz into a soulful cacophony of solid club sounds.
Frank Mitchell
Tracklisting:
A1. Cali 76
B1. Pays To Be Pushed