[Hyperdub]

By its nature, UK funky is happy music through and through. There is nothing melancholic or contemplative about the uptempo cavalcades of dem bow rhythm or the slinky bass lines or the house synths. Among the most joyous of producers is Ossie, whose “Ossie Baba” track was brimming with African-inspired tribal rhythms reformatted for the house tempo of funky. With his new EP for Hyperdub, Set The Tone, Ossie attempts to capture that particularly unique strain of funky house with three tracks of varying degrees of similarity.

“Set The Tone” is unquestionably the strongest track here, with the irresistible sounds of kids shouting happily and a sinuous bass line that bobs and weaves in between the craziest drums. Make no mistake, Ossie knows what to do with drums. In much the same way that Blawan is heralded for his incredible programming, Ossie is a true craftsman of percussion and the popping kicks and snares of “Set The Tone” show it off impeccably. It’s a shame then that the rest of the EP doesn’t hold up as well as this opening track, with “Power of Love” meandering for five minutes over a fairly typical rhythm that doesn’t sound as cohesive or as lively as the title track. All of the various pieces of this song don’t seem to be going in the same direction and have strangely arbitrary breaks and change-ups. “Moves” is a much more compelling track with interesting sounds working in unison but lacks forward momentum. Looping for two and half a minutes before releasing the brakes, the tune lacks a payoff for the enjoyable melodic and rhythmic elements it racks up. Despite these flaws, Ossie has turned in a gorgeous anthem with “Set The Tone” that is sure to be a presence on the dance floor for the rest of the year.