Tevo Howard’s sound seems to be on a constant curve of transformation. The Chicago man’s sound is rooted in House, exploring the classic elements and venturing further into the depths as years have passed.
Oceania has never really been a hotbed of electronics. Some bits and bobs have come from Australia and New Zealand, but neither have really gone in for establishing labels and releasing records. Cometh the hour, cometh the imprint. Sydney based Thug Records has been putting out material since 2008, quietly stocking a discography with input from the likes of Creepy Autograph and Suspect. For its latest, the Aussie imprint as tracked across the Pacific to hook up with one of the toasts of the modern House scene: Tevo Howard. Tevo has been prolific in his output since 2007, clocking up a spread of EP’s and LP’s. Of late he has been more quiet, but just before the new year The Drapes in the Living Room EP came out on Thug.
“Mystery” gets the ball rolling. Deep House sounds emanate from the outset. The track builds, Howard layering complimentary sounds onto one another with some classic drum machine combinations. “Bedroom Music (Uncover Mix)” follows in a similar vein. The track has a warm subtlety running through it. Beats are somewhat sheathed with a Detroit element coming through in the warbling synth melody. “Shaquanda” opens the flip, a steady piece of light claps and squelching bass. The title piece brings the EP to a close. “The Drapes in the Living Room” raises the tempo with melodies working their way through the snaps of snare and hi hat.
Tevo Howard’s sound seems to be on a constant curve of transformation. The Chicago man’s sound is rooted in House, exploring the classic elements and venturing further into the depths as years have passed. Howard’s recent musings are arguably his most complex and interesting. Having started up a new label, Tevo Howard Recordings, other worlds of House are being investigated; from the tweaks of an acid machine to inchoate realms of beat and bass. The Drapes in the Living Room is from the new Howard epoch, one where influences and outcomes are broader. The EP is at home on the floor and in the headphones, illustrating why Mr Howard is so respected in the electronic community. Solid material from the Illinois resident and a nice edition to the Thug catalogue.
The Drapes in the Living Room is available on Thug. [Release page]
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