T.Williams is one half of Deep Teknologi, a collective who have been stirring things up in UK bass and house music for short while. With their own label and a string of quality underground house releases, they are a respectable force and although T is venturing out with solo stuff, there is no indication that Deep Teknologi will be leaving us anytime soon.
The Heartbeat EP is T’s second outing on new London label Local Action, the first being the superb T. Williams EP which was championed by everyone from SInden to Kode 9 to Joy Orbison. This new record is most probably his best release yet, teaming up with the mighty songstress Terri Walker who earlier this year signed an album deal with the US giants that are Roc-a-fella Records.
Heartbeat is a really special track; it’s a beautifully composed house tune that rolls with a deep thumping bassline and poised vocal. Nothing is laid out obtrusively; it all feels expertly crafted and delivered with a subtlety that draws on elements of minimalistic house and techno yet also being catchy and full with the vibes of more obvious, heavier UKfunky anthems. The melodic toms and intricate weaving of percussive elements are all finished off in impeccable style with Terri Walker’s exposed vocal. This tune is guaranteed to get a big reaction - whether slotted alongside peak time house or techno or whether it’s dropped in a bass heavy garage / UK funky set the crowd are going to love it, as do I.
The EP also features an extremely slick remix from Mosca. The fabric selector, who has released on Night Slugs and Numbers, hits us up with a stunning take on the original – beginning with a jazz piano and light drums layered with Terri’s gorgeous vocal and building the beat up into an amazing slice of forward thinking funky. The elastic bassline drops and the vocal is chopped up taking on board a classic garage vibe. It’s almost impossible to say which is better, the remix or the original – both are absolutely superb and complement each other perfectly.
It’s clear that Local Action have got a really good thing going, all of the three releases so far being strong, but this third EP is a real banger and definitely the best to date – both from T and from the label. Get ready to hear this one tearing up floors in everyone’s sets, the record skilfully straddles genre lines to the point where it’s gonna be in a lot of different people’s bags. If this release is anything to go by we can expect huge things to come from both the Local Action label and from T. Williams himself.