LOCKSEM – Fosseway EP
RELEASE: 18th Mar 2019
LOCDIG037
1. Locksem – Fosseway
2. Locksem – Listen Keenly
3. Locksem – Wall of Silence
4. Locksem – Movers and Shakers
UK drum & bass label Lockdown Recordings have spent sixteen years developing their musical hub. Over this time, they’ve taken their time in developing a sound from across their roster which is easily recognisable now as Lockdown’s signature. This has been done through painstaking A&R, as well as a commitment to keeping their ears to the ground for new music and producers. From their humble beginnings, right into the powerhouse their viewed as today, they’ve remained part of the underground scene and this shows through each one of the releases delivered to the drum & bass market. Their next EP comes from Locksem, who, from his first ventures into production at fourteen, various club night promotions, residencies, and previous position at Cygnus Music, has remained an inherent part of drum & bass throughout the past ten years. Throughout the 6 year hiatus since his last outing on the label, he’s been working diligently to shape his craft, channelling the dark sounds he’s spent year committing himself to creating, now he’s ready to make a return to the imprint.
The uplifting world of title-track ‘Fosseway’ creates a precedent for the rest of the EP to follow. With pitching instrumentals and rolling beat notes, it’s a slab of musicality which highlights a different side of the producer. Next up comes ‘Listen Keenly’, which is more dancefloor orientated as it crashes into the forefront. For the EP’s second half, you’re moved through ‘Wall of Silence’ and ‘Movers and Shakers’. Whilst ‘Wall of Silence’ pushes your ears against its throbbing drums and rolling clashes of percussion, with distorted vocals drifting in and out of the mix. ‘Movers and Shakers’ is more minimal in its approach, however it still possesses the complexity which has made Locksem such an imperative force within the newcomers currently coming through. When looking at the EP in its entirety, it highlights the impressiveness of Locksem’s production. And how this has been nurtured by Lockdown Recordings; a label which has remained at the centre of many of similar career paths.