Since first appearing on the cluttered global bass scene in 2009, Rupert Taylor has upheld an astounding level of consistency amongst his assortment of singles and EPs. Rather than carving himself a definitive niche, the Londoner has openly opted to flirt with the realms of garage, funky, dubstep, and house, developing an almost unmatched prowess in his proclivity for diversification. Following his double A-side Everything EP on Well Rounded Records, his sophomore release for 2012 on Los Angeles-based imprint Halo Cyan is a blustering three-tracker that lends itself to the inclination of electro-tinged house, accompanied by re-rubs from the burgeoning Parisian producer French Fries and Palms Springs beat-maker Isotonik.
The title track is a vociferous number characterized by curling breakbeats, frantic snares and Taylor’s signature penchant for meticulously clipped R&B samples. “Werk” follows the lead with a breakbeat formation, but employs a bulbous bass line to lead the assertive vocals through a sea of skittering hi-hats layered over pulsing cowbells. The third original, “Give In To You,” is held together by a relentless drum roll powering through melancholic chords and inconceivable vocal cuts. French Fries’ rework of “Bash” is rendered with a big-room aesthetic, its marinated grooves edging delicately through more spacious territory. Rounding off the release is Isotonik’s take on “Give In To You,” which rings reminiscent of a 90s warehouse rave with frenzied synths and heavy bass lines; however the culmination wanes in authenticity and results in a maladroit number that falls misplaced amongst it’s more restrained counterparts. There’s arguably little innovation within Bash as Taylor simply weaves his regular aural artillery, but it’s his scrupulous composition and predilection for subtle progression that keeps his work emotive, novel, and authoritative over any dance floor — a formula that’s showing no signs of going stale.
