A Little Moonlight Dancing sees the US agent of acid continue his 303 mission. Some new elements, such as the larynx, are coming into his sound but the formula of Chicago inspired house and Detroit dabbed techno is still the focus.
[Juno] Popularity can be a mixed blessing in any walk of life. In electronic music, with its obsession on remaining “underground,” amplified status can butcher or beatify artists. Some are accepted in the leagues of classic creators whilst others are branded as sell-outs. It’s a balancing act, one that is difficult to perfect. Jared Wilson is one artist who has gained a greater following in the last twelve months. The Detroit man has developed his own 7777 label base, now about to branch out with new artists. He has played live in Europe and crossed the pond to release on Glasgow’s Dixon Avenue Basement Jams. Wilson is off again, this time to Sweden for a double EP on Skudge Presents. But has Wilson’s increased productivity and popularity dulled the raw edges of his acid drenched sound?
A Little Moonlight Dancing opens with the title piece. Clean snares and beats allow for a long intro, female vocals sampled echo with a 90s house motif. Two minutes in and the result is quite different to some of Wilson’s previous work, but does ring with some of the ideas explored in For Professional DJ Use Only. 303 chords drop as the track turns, beats and claps funneling to a climax of sultry samples and abject squalor. The upliftingly titled “Grave Stalking” is true to its appellation. Bass and angry tweaks for a work of ashen acid. techno is the central sound, deep murmurings ruminating under the sinewaves. The second disc is introduced by “Hasting ’95.” The track is a much dubbier creature, 4/4 with some elements of dubstep entering. Wilson decides to leave his trademark Acid sound outside for this one. But the track doesn’t have the intrigue of its predecessors, feeling quite forgettable in comparison. “Detroit Tracks 1 (Analog Mix)” is the closer and sees Wilson back on track. A simplistic construct of acid twirls and moody undercurrents is built and adorned by feisty female samples. The vocals are superfluous with the track having all the dancefloor direction and depth necessary.
Wilson’s ferocity appears to be intact. A Little Moonlight Dancing sees the US agent of acid continue his 303 mission. Some new elements, such as the larynx, are coming into his sound but the formula of Chicago inspired House and Detroit dabbed techno is still the focus. “Hasting ‘95” lacks the intensity expected, falling more into the category of DJ tool. But this is only a slip rather than a slide. The powerful coarseness and underground grit is still present. May the fan-base grow and the acid flow.
A Little Moonlight Dancing is available on Skudge Presents. [Juno]
