Some album covers prove the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words.” The cover art of the Git Em EP by DC DJ/producer extraordinaire Steve Starks is one such picture. Evocative of the blood-soaked cover of Andrew WK’s I Get Wet, the photo says more than any review ever could, but I’ll give it a try anyway.
Steve Starks – Git Em EP by T and A Records
Released today on T&A Records, Git Em is Steve Starks’ second effort for the label, following the TRO/Lydia EP with collaborator Nacey. It contains a couple originals and a host of remixes by like-minded knob twisters. We’ve written at length about the title track, but it bears repeating: this is a brutal track. Building from a nearly minimal beat into crashing waves of snares and bass, “Git Em” is a mutated ghettotech assault.
The remixes of “Git Em” provide new flavors while keeping the core of the original. Portuguese duo Zombies for Money give it a twisted tribal feel, as if the track came from the darkest depths of a tropical jungle. Dillon Francis adds a four on the floor electro beat, while Munchi dabbles in kuduro. Each remix is a strong tribute to the evolving sounds of EDM.
Starks’ “Witness” is a similar audio attack, flipping Eddie Amador’s “Rise” into a late night tech house banger. The airy synths and preacher vocals of the bridge give you a chance to catch your breath, but the track is soon back to obliterate your remaining senses. T&A label head DJ Ayres amps up the house influences on his spaced out remix of the track.
Steve Starks – and the rest of the Nouveau Riche crew – continues to push the DC music scene forward. On the Git Em EP, he provides another couple of anthems for the subterranean bassheads that reside at U Hall, while sharing the spotlight with similarly-minded producers on the rise.
Four out of five stars. Buy it today on Turntable Lab, Juno or Beatport.
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