- The Oakland producer churns out another EP of unpredictable, pummelling club tracks.
- Last summer, I seemed to hear snippets of Crime Mob's 2006 anthem "Rock Yo Hips" on every dance floor. More specifically, it was a bastiengoat edit, which the Oakland-based producer made new with a Jersey club bounce and chopped vocals that bang with just as much force as the drums. A dramatic swell of strings gradually makes its way across, until Diamond's much-sampled line drops—"32 flavors of that bootylicious bubblegum!"—and a squall of kicks is unleashed in its place. That song captured bastiengoat's astuteness as a sampler—it was unpredictable and somehow soulful, making it a rousing club tool.
On his latest EP, Node, "Don't Stop Don't Miss" accomplishes something similar. Khia's iconic chorus opens, but it's surrounded by marching band percussion. Her vocals trail off, becoming an ethereal shadow over a dewy blanket of chords. The respite doesn't last long, leading up to waves of bass. bastiengoat incorporates East Coast club music in his production, but he also plays with the hardcore continuum, a high-energy combination that gives his tracks a peak-time quality. These two elements collide pristinely on "Slander." An opening amen break collapses into floor-rattling bass and synths that shoot in opposite directions like Newton's balls. A Jersey club drum pattern descends not long after, sustaining the song's drive.
The few moments of calm on Node allow just enough time for dancers to catch their breath. On "Midnight Sweat," chipmunk vocals toot in between whistles, hiccuping breaks and a dirty wall of bass. In one quiet section, an air horn blares and the vocals rise over hi-hats that become small and tinny before returning to the forefront. What follows is a delightful bass blast, and clubbers are thrown into their workout once more.
Tracklist01. Slander
02. Don't Stop Don't Miss
03. Beautiful Lover
04. That's Why They Roll
05. Midnight Sweat