- How do you even start to describe a producer like James Pants? Since signing to Stones Throw in 2007, he's turned his hand to hip-hop, boogie and his own brand of futuristic soul in a wonderfully scattershot fashion. The release of his latest EP sees him continue his varied approach to music making, confirming him as an artist that refuses to be pigeonholed. All six tracks on New Tropical clock in between two and three minutes in length, which may not necessarily be conducive to extended blends, but highlight Pants' knack for producing concise material that rarely outstays its welcome.
The EP is bookended by two tracks at the hip-hop-compatible tempo of 90 BPM, but don't go expecting anything too orthodox from the LA-based producer. The incomprehensible looped vocal and thick low end of "Driftwood" bring to mind recent developments in Chicago's footwork scene, albeit with a much more gloopy feel, while "Say Yes"'s lo-fi minimalism finishes things off in a twitchier, double-time fashion. UK funky DJs may find the militaristic snare rolls of "This Crazy Sound" to be a useful tool for their sets, while "1988" and "Diamond Head" find Pants in a much more introspective mood, with the dubby stabs and trippily modulated pads of the latter proving a particular highlight.
Tracklist A1 Driftwood
A2 1988
A3 Hanama Beat (Throwing Bass)
B1 This Crazy Sound
B2 Diamond Head
B3 Say Yes