JE M’EN FISH 002 EP by V/A

Deep dubstep from selected artists on the Belgian Je M’en Fish label.Je M’en Fish is one of Belgium’s largest and most active organisations working in the field of electronic music. Having produced numerous compilation CDs and DVDs, and staged countless live events over the last decade, it evolved into a fully-fledged vinyl and digital label in 2010. Their programme of 12” releases spotlights the young and growing pool of Belgian talent in dubstep and bass production, and the first pressing to enter into wider distribution in partnership with Cargo is a head-turning three tracker that combines rhythmic elegance with full-on floor-burning impact. Opening the show is Janner’s ‘Proteus’, a driving uptempo number that has a ring of Frankie Bones-style early 90s hip-house within its insistent 2-step rhythm, while the ghost of speed garage also makes its presence felt. Coloured by bright descending keys, this track’s real power comes from a looping and py-schedelically shifting sub-bass riff that eschews dark moodiness in favour of a more rich and flavourful vibe, while the swung drum patterns keep a steadily infectious dancefloor energy. Belgian master of the bass art BunZer0 follows with a new VIP remix of ‘Second Meeting’, the original version of which appeared on the first Je M’en Fish 12”. This track combines a stuttering heavy kick drum with jazzy elastic bass fills, chiming Italo-house piano chords, and multi-layered futuristic synth melo-dies, to create an almost euphoric interpretation of low-end dance. Finally, Manouvre contributes ‘Mr Moody’s Morning Madness’, an echoing and spacious cut which is most emphatically all about the drums. The delayed and decaying techno stabs and complex stepper drums come together to conjour up images of Maurizio remixed in double-time by Patrick Pulsinger. Ultimately, ‘Je M’en Fish 002 EP’ showcases a trio of diverse, intelligent and uniquely European perspec-tives on today’s club-tooled bass music scene.