Album Review: Addison Groove & Sam Binga - BS3

Album Rating: B

I'm not going to waste time trying to pin down the genre of Addison Groove/Sam Binga's newest EP, BS3. In brief, it's quick-moving footwork and juke with the occasional Amen break and glitchy hip-hop clap. However, it's not really worth going into depth about where every single moment falls exactly on the spectrum of 808-experimentation - there are better things to do than wonder whether "Thr3id" potentially falls within the spectrum of half-time DnB or whether "11th" could be mixed into a trap set. Because overly analyzing BS3 kind of misses the point: it's a fun, carefree release. Free of the ostentatious weight of stylistic compatriots who feel the need to innovate to the point of sucking any potential fluffy gaiety out of their music, the two producers have created something both weighty and light, something which carries legitimacy in the eyes of many electronic listeners but is also quite entertaining.

Take "Thr3id," for example. The tune's excellent use of staggered beats and uncharacteristically placed 808s works wonders, and the fast-moving, half-time beat should get any dance floor moving. That's pretty much how the whole thing works, and, as a result, the EP isn't anywhere near incredible. It's four songs of pretty-similar dance-floor stomping which both producers have dabbled in before, and it's not particularly innovative by any stretch of the word. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing, either - if the tunes are well-made and fun, why shouldn't they be excellent? In this case, that's exactly what happens. Overly specific genre classifications aside, BS3 should be all over dancefloors pretty soon, and it's an excellent choice for that. Enjoy with a zesty side of the dancehall drug of your choice.

Stream clips of the EP here

1. Rzor
2. Thr3id
3. 11th
4. Ol Man Ek

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