Moodtrap: Body To Body EP

Moodtrap 
Body to Body EP
Tsuba.

Tsuba’s tenth instalment on its digital-only sub-label sees anonymous production duo Moodtrap unleash a collection of unseasonably upbeat underground house to help us through the bleak midwinter.

What starts off sounding like a slice of guttural techno quickly transforms into a silky Chicago garage house number in ‘Body to Body’, thanks to the arrival of a cheerful chord sequence, filtered vox samples and shuffling maracas that make this track an immediate stand-out effort. ‘Let You Go’ takes a harder stance from the off, with an overpowering zoom bass (not the technical term) that lies beneath the layers of similarly optimistic keys and weighty kick drums. The chord progressions and interlocking melodies here are so superbly placed and pitch-perfect that one would expect Moodtrap to be a pair of classically trained musicians. The plot thickens.

Progression is the key word in this 4-track release, and by the third tune – ‘Movement’ – the production formula is well and truly in place and we know what to expect. Seemingly aware that this recipe has begun to produce replications that risk becoming stale, the duo knows exactly where to drop a new element into the mix to revitalize the track’s energy. In this case, it’s the “Everything!” vocal snippet, which transforms the track into a refreshingly new entity by providing a brief moment of relief from the relentless progression. Finally, the bouncy and vivacious ‘Route 66’ closes the EP, undertaking much the same template as the others; its whispering hi-hats the hi-light. All in all, a hugely recommendable release that adds a little sunshine to the wintry doom and gloom. 

Tracklisting
1. Body To Body
2. Let You Go
3. Movement
4. Route 66

Listen to Moodtrap on Pulse Radio