There are three emotions that are hard to fake without an Actor’s Studio pedigree: arousal, fear and whatever it is at the core of our being that motivates one to get up on their feet and shake their ass. I imagine that one of the benefits of working at the best weekly residency in Chicago is the ability to road test your wildest ideas and studio experiments against a tried-and-true crowd that knows what makes them feel good and has no fear to challenge a DJ or be challenged themselves.
It would have been wonderful to experience this happening the first time Garrett David pulled “Loop Soup” out of his vault and played it for the royalty of Queen! at Smartbar, where he holds court with Michael Serafini and Derrick Carter every Sunday night. Rippling with proto-breakbeats and rim shots, this comes from left-field, loops around to center and runs back to safety. Aside from the sparse chords and effects, it’s that deadpan vocal loop — “I’m dying… oooh yeahhh” — that brings everyone out on the floor and into the front of the house.
Live Live marks Garrett David’s second EP on Spanish vinyl label Mate (the previous one, reviewed here, was Lost & Found which dropped just as coronavirus did). It’s by far the more experimental, yet keeps with Queen’s nightclub aesthetic. “Work 4 Love” grabs a sample and a vintage house vibe and spins it in a whole new direction, presenting a kind of out & open celebratory club mix with a hard Chicago track edge. “Longo Time” closes with an irresistible, utterly essential DJ tool: a heavy funk percussion track that the adventurous DJ could blend into and out of multiple times in a single set.
Garrett David: Live Live (Mate / 12″ Vinyl)
1. Garrett David: Loop Soup
2. Garrett David: Work 4 Love
3. Garrett David: Longo Time
⚪️ Disclosure Statement: This record was submitted as a promo.
#ReDiscovery: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #197 featuring Billie Ray Martin, Eternal Student, Lady Blackbird and more. Support 5 Mag by becoming a member for as little as $1 per issue and get every issue in your inbox right away!
