Spray - VT Trad

5 Apr

The newest recruit to the Kalahari Oyster Cult is Spray. An alias of Brame, of Brame & Hamo fame, the Irish artist has taken on the moniker Spray to be more in line with the newly formed label of the same name. Being relatively new to the scene hasn't stopped the newly realised Spray from not only sharing a label with esteemed artists such as Fantastic Man and Roza Terenzi on Kalahari Oyster Cult but many more, both here and on Craigie Knowes. Spray's new release VT Trad is the 46th release from the Belgian outfit and their first EP in 2023.

Showing a Startling level of maturity Spray subtly combines elements from the bassline and bass house genres with the trippy tech house we expect from the cult. Spray's music is laden with vocals, and the title track 'VT Trad' is no exception, with the dubbed spoken word sample not only harkening back to early trance music but capturing the essence of losing yourself on the dance floor. The clacking percussion brings a uniqueness to the track and removes any idea that 'VT Trad' is a clone of what came before. Instead, it's what you'd expect from someone with more experience in the scene.

The second track, 'Q3projz', takes cues from more retro dance trends offering a combination of the gritty, rough, and ready acidic basslines that chug along, rarely halting. Descending chords straddling the breakdowns with the clean crispness of more modern equipment. Powerful kicks rocket through the washes of rhythmic psychedelic pads that keep 'Q3projz' light and bouncy.

Switching things up, Spray incorporates breakbeats on 'Zippycher' and adds an uplifting speed garage mid-bass line that acts as the lead. Playing below that is an unrelenting sub-bass guaranteed to shake the speaker box. Of course, this is without mentioning the stabs, as they add a silky texture to the whole affair. This is a peak-time track, and Spray knows that, leaving plenty of parts built for arm raising and head ducking.

Diving back into the oyster cult's trippier sounds, 'Slipped' showcases Spray's ability to switch intensity. Dropping out the bass in favour of intensely augmented vocal cops only to have the bass smash back in accented with unnerving notes over the top. The percussion is no less excellent, mingling the sounds of hats and tambourines to add to the energy.

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