benjamin long: new strings ep
Francisco Espregueira
Hailing from London, Benjamin Long is the last producer dropping quality music in Apparel’s Music prolific series of releases. In New Strings EP he delivers four classy tracks that blend deep house, jazz and broken beat. The Italian label keeps introducing us to eclectic forms of electronic music, this time around with a talented producer that is able to intertwine the good use of sampling with inventive percussion and melodies that feel alive.
New Strings is a diverse and complete record. It begins with the afro-house-influenced breaks of the title track progressing smoothly into what it seems a fast trip-hop take on music. “Cobbles” is a jazzy, mysterious and broken affair and is followed by the darker shades of this project. First with “My Talent”, in which Long goes deeper into an introspective and emotional trip and, lastly, with “Ridin”, a late-night aerial breeze that blends a hypnotic instrumentation with a smooth sampling work. Each and every track in New Strings brings different sonic influences, yet contributing to a solid, cohesive and classy work from Benjamin Long. Available on Bandcamp, courtesy of Apparel Music.