Substatic’s ‘Midnight In Paradise’

substatic

OK, you know when a band you really love change up their sound a little bit? and everytime they release a new track your heart stops a little bit because what if it’s shit? and you’ve got that tattoo and all! But then you have this endorphin rush as you realise they are only getting more and more awesome? Well, that’s what it’s like with me and Substatic. Except I haven’t got a Substatic tattoo. Yet.

The new two peice version, Substatic 2.0 if you will (which we won’t), are slowly tricking out their new material a track at a time as they find their footing with their new, more Funk laden, sound. And finding their footing should be an easy task, they are on very solid ground. ‘Midnight In Paradise’, their latest drop, is a glorious mixture of grooves. Underpinning the tune is a hint of B-Boy Electro (which long time readers will know is always the quickest way to my heart) layered with a nice digital slap bass. Colleen’s breathy vocals give the tune a sense of urgency while the electronics have both a retro feel and contemporary edge. You really can’t pigeonhole Substatic, and as someone who loves pigeonholes and finds artists claiming not to be pigeonholed pretentions (not that Substatic ever have), that irks me. They are ElectroPop, but beyond ElectroPop with an understanding of UK Bass music unheard of within that genre. But too Poppy (read: the songs are too good) to be Bass, or Dubstep, or Drum & Bass. To complex to be vocal House and too live to be Electronica (whatever that is). Too funky for Indie-Electro, too song led for Electro-House. They just write really good, emotional, songs, with a really good grasp of electronic music and a really good grasp of dancefloors. They’re just Substatic.