- Over the course of his 20-plus-year career, Ed Upton, AKA DMX Krew, has maintained a high calibre in his signature electro sound. The three-part Synth Funk series for London label Abstract Forms is a stellar example. Stacked against recent efforts on Klasse and Last Known Trajectory, Tha Bump! is the third Synth Funk installment and a bit of light relief, switching from heavier material to funk- and jazz-inspired sounds.
The EP shows Upton at his most playful, with a collection of tracks that unabashedly avoid all inklings of seriousness. Downtempo cuts "Iced Bun" and "Fee-linn Fine" are both pleasant experiments with old-school disco synths. At a higher pace is "Three Pee," with its bristly ghetto breaks lifted by a buoyant electro riff. The most gratifying moments are in the weird Space Invaders-style samples of "Sound Module," and especially the dance floor-ready "Catastrophic Bump," in which sombre chords and a 4/4 beat give way to groovy acid and flutes. Only B-side cut "Odd Socks" is lacking, as overblown synths make it overly theatrical at points.
TracklistA1 Three Pee
A2 Iced Bun
A3 Sound Module
B1 Fee-linn Fine
B2 Odd Socks
B3 Catastrophic Bump