After a back-to-basics release from Ternion Sound, Rygby switches it up and brings the percussive chaos in DUPLOC022. It seems that after a six-month adventure across Europe, it’s “Tym 2 Go Bak” to Bristol. But Rygby’s not returning empty handed. He’s collected a wealth of musical experience beyond the (admittedly bubbling) fishbowl of Bristol and a load of field recordings from the cultural and historical melting pot, Barcelona, which build unique mosaics in the sonic set design of “B Marine”. Back in 2016, Rygby’s DUPLOC014 was a patient, minimal swing through a spooky atmosphere. While it stood out with deliciously tight drum-fills, elegant house chords and subtle sub-fuzz, the space feels a little empty. Now he’s back with the missing ambience, a solid grip on pace and a sample bank with mileage high enough to carve his self-defining sound.
Pumping 808 stabs push “Tym 2 Go Bak” through a chaotic rhythm that strikes a balance between fresh and nostalgic. The popping snare harks back to Silkie’s Hooby and some of the eerie, delayed flickers in the build-up are reminiscent of a similar time. The chopped and screwed vocal spices the track with flavour, as does the wobble board (as if a wobble board could ever fall short of that). If you forget that the sample is referring to Rygby returning to Bristol after a six-month holiday, it actually has a psychedelic effect on the song. The broken word “time”, melds with the jagged rhythm to really mess with the dancer’s head. It’s perhaps one of the truest dubstep-trap fusions going, something original finally having been created through the inevitable convergence.
Rising-up from a messy Atlantis, “B Marine” tells the tale of a wobbly Godzilla let loose on the hectic streets of Barcelona. Impressively, the track’s pace is fast-flowing, while the bassline keeps steady and slow. Short sections lead into new environments, letting us explore alongside the wriggling, destructive lizard. From the quirky lead synths to the fuzzy shouts across the city, the song is full of character without compromising its weight – perhaps what is most important about this single.
The resurfacing of a more fun and open form of dubstep, evident in Quest and Silkie’s single figure release numbers on Deep Medi, characterises DUPLOC’s movement with this single. Instead of a dark electronic world, Rygby vividly drew me through a dusty, bric-a-brac, high rise shanty town, busy with life and heavy with verisimilitude. This inquisitive outlook on the sound design of dance-oriented bass music is what crafts the curiosity blasted out of sound systems across the world. DUPLOC have spotted Rygby’s use of this knowledge and given it a voice on vinyl. Who will be next?
DUPLOC022 is released April 9th and available from the DUPLOC Store.
