Rating: 7.5 / Format: 12" EP / Label: LuckyMe
Warp’s Hudson Mohawke helms the production on the six-track debut EP of space-age R’n’B by fellow Glasgow dweller Ciorsdan Brown, futher proving that although his tracks can occasionally get over-cluttered (Polyfolk Dance’s ‘Yonard’), his off-kilter, bump-heavy hip-hop is perfectly suited to vocalists. ‘All Hot’ is the best thing here: Brown’s voice getting pitch-bent on the verses, coming like an oversexed female equivalent of Darkstar’s robotic frontman. ‘Room Mist’ and ‘Leopards’ are on a super-confident spoken word tip, like Uffie but with better lyrics (“sure it takes two/but you choose who to screw”) and most importantly, without any of the try-hard factor.
Hud Mo’s production takes more of a starring role on ‘Step Back’, going heavy on the fuzzy synths and gun-metal clicks and putting Brown’s vocals through the chipmunk factor for the chorus, but her verses still drip attitude. ‘Chemical’ is the least memorable track here, but it’s still sexy as fuck and you get an instrumental mix of ‘Step Back’ as a bonus, so whatever: Room Mist is a sick debut, and one that bears well for Brown’s future and the collaborations on Hud Mo’s forthcoming full-length.
Tom Lea
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