“Steve Cobby and Laurie Welton are both from Hull in the north of England. Cobby is one of the members of the pioneering electronic outfit Fila Brazillia while Welton is the man behind the Myth! project, whose “False Profits” EP was released last year on Posthuman’s Balkan Recordings label. In fact, Cobby has known Welton’s aunt for 20 years and Laurie has been a fan of Fila Brazillia since the early ‘90s. So when Laurie was asked by Steve to collaborate with him, he jumped at the chance.
The fruits of their collaboration are the three tracks on the “Absolute” EP. This release is truly an international affair; the label, Adam Warped’s Whiskey Pickle imprint, is based in Austin, Texas, the artists are from the UK, while a remix of “Absolute” comes courtesy of New Yorkers Whatever/Whatever, a duo staffed by Bryan Mette and legendary NY DJ, producer and remixer Justin Strauss.
“Absolute,” in its original form, is a tough, but breezy, chugger with a chunky, forward-lurching bass line, loose, splashing beats and lush, pretty, synth tones. A beautiful, electric piano chord punctuates proceedings while a sample from Laurie’s favorite guru intones “Absolute existence, absolute knowledge and absolute bliss” throughout. It’s Balearic accented house of the highest order.
“Limoncello” is a seductive exercise in placing delicately balanced chords, Rhodes flourishes and unusual tones in close proximity. These tones are probably gleaned from some of the unconventional instruments and odd items Laurie uses in the studio. He owns a Moroccan instrument called a Quarkeb and used a pair of toy, plastic hands, he got in a Christmas cracker, to create castanet sounds. The track is subtly acidic, pushed by an understated bass line, a striding beat and nicely placed claps. A number of different keyboard sounds wheel around the mix and create a gorgeous sunset or early morning feel that is hard to resist.
The EP finishes with a remix of “Absolute” by Whatever/Whatever. It is a stargazing and elegant invention that sits atop a buzzing, chewy bass line, which marches boldly through the track. The guru sample appears regularly and as the track progresses the bass line becomes increasingly acidic while a number of luscious keyboard sounds appear, fade and reappear. The drive of the bass line, as it converses with a woody, crashing snare, leads to a dramatic, synth chord sequence that lifts the track and creates a sense of joyful urgency that will make this tune an effective building tool for the DJ who likes to take his crowd on an ever escalating, emotional ride.
This is a musically satisfying and very danceable release that will appeal to DJs in several genres. There will be more to follow from Whiskey Pickle, deep in the heart of Texas.” -Chris Orr
This album has a more danceable approach to it, moreso than some other Cobby albums, which makes it stand out in that way, still on par with all his work, as all of it is great! VUKARI
Fresh is one way to describe this album, because no matter how many times I've listened to it it remains so. Cobby has a way of making music that truly lingers with it's efforts and originality unfurling in layers. Just great smooth music across this masterpiece. VUKARI
DJ/producer Yarni and printmaker John Pedder swapped visual and sonic influences for this EP of tactile, highly detailed electronic music. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 5, 2023
Steve shows off his versatility yet again as he takes the listener on a guided tour through music styles from days gone by, including everything from drum brushed Easy Listening to fast-fretted Jazz to mournful flute Ambient, and several other destinations. Walt Collins