I first wrote about Julio Bashmore last year, but in the months since, I haven’t spilled nearly enough digital ink on the UK underground sensation. Please let me attempt to right that wrong.
Julio Bashmore is Matthew Walker, a producer from the epicenter of the dubstep scene, Bristol. Contrary to his city’s dominant sound, however, Bashmore makes house music: deep, mellow, funky house. He first gained attention with a 12-inch on Claude vonStroke’s Dirtybird imprint; “Um Bongo’s Revenge” is tribal, vital, and signaled the arrival of a new producer to watch.
[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/umbongosrevenge.mp3″ text=”Julio Bashmore – Um Bongo’s Revenge” dl=0]
Since then, Bashmore has been highly prolific, releasing a handful of EPs, single, and remixes. All have featured non-stop grooves, elastic basslines, and warm synths. Vocal samples are impeccably selected, and looped into dreamy, hypnotic refrains. He checks all of these boxes on last year’s “Footsteppin”
[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/footsteppin.mp3″ text=”Julio Bashmore – Footsteppin” dl=0]
Recent releases have gotten sharper, emerging from shadow and fog into the clarity of disco ball light. The Everyone Needs a Theme Tune EP has a throwback feel, with funkadelic synths and 808s aplenty. On “Battle for Middle You,” Bashmore turns a 10-year-old sample (from Mateo & Matos’ “Stomp Your Feet“) into a tech house anthem.
[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/battleformiddleyou.mp3″ text=”Julio Bashmore – Battle for Middle You” dl=0]
Over a year old, Bashmore’s exclusive mix for Vice is a constant play. From his remix of Deadboy‘s “Heartbreaker” to plenty of Night Slugs selections, it’s no wonder why.
[wpaudio url=”http://www.viceland.com/music/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/julio-bashmore-vice-mix.mp3″ text=”Julio Bashmore – Vice Mixtape” dl=0]
Download: Julio Bashmore – Vice Mixtape
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