Dom Alhambra

Laurence Guy continues to best himself.

For years, I’ve included artists like Laurence Guy and Daphni in setlists entitled “Manic”. I find that the total elation that these artists’ work can embody are unlocked by inspired sampling, repetition, defiance of “high-fidelity”, and patient breakdowns/build-ups that separate this Manic House from standard club fare. 

As I’ve said previously about “Transitional Tracks”, Manic/UK House relies on the the listener’s ability to fill in whatever gaps that popular house producers fill with explosive builds or story-like melodies. The genre’s primary ability is to create 16 great bars, develop variations and breakdowns, and let dancers and DJs work with the structure on their own terms. 

“You Do Your Best To Hide The Good Parts of Yourself” continues Laurence Guy’s ability to work with mania, pairing bittersweet track titles and sampled lyrics with developing filters and beat introductions that simply lift the samples to celebratory levels. There are few artists that will sound like Laurence Guy: Introductory track *Can’t Find Her* is the essence he’s developed over the past half-decade. I think the magic of his best vocal samples are their ability to be sung. It would be a stilted karaoke for sure, but these tracks’ melodies are so fun that I’ve sung along with many of Guy’s releases. 

Extremely Present or Present in the Extreme is a late-night track, after the mood has turned from celebratory to determined. There is forward momentum in the track, as one takes in the alternating vocal samples and snares, along with a synth string cutting in and out. 

You Do Your Best To Hide The Good Parts of Yourself is the chillest track of the EP, with smooth synths and a lighter beat. It’s certainly a transitional track, setting up a light, airy ambience for the party. 

Laurence Guy provides three dance-ready tracks to this EP, with Waiting For Love being the last—usually we’re appreciative of one or two bangers in a four track record. Mood-wise, it’s a hybrid between the first and second tracks: It takes the celebratory, light tone of Can't Find Her, but uses a cut up vocal sample as the basis for the track, complemented by a simple but super fun two-tone bass line. The track doesn’t demand attention, but adds to the rhythm of life and to the life of a party. 

Laurence Guy is an exciting producer to follow, because he is consistent and progressive at the same time; in other words, he is refining a winning sound, and I can’t wait to hear him at the top of his game.