sami baha: mavericks

‘Mavericks’ EP is a deconstructed and beautifully crafted take on the trap sound, using a dramatic sense of space and melody that gives the EP an epic feel plus an attention to sonic detail that makes tracks move like they’re alive, avoiding all clichés. ‘Mavericks 1’ opens with a lush repetitive string melody, dropping into tense atmosphere; ‘Still’ uses the space between notes, unusual configurations of tuning and tone draw the track apart and let every note shimmer in dark space. The steel pan melody and spiralling snares of ‘Dough’, manage to remind of vintage Black Dog, rolling out emotively over bass and drums. ‘Tozko Paran’ is trap re-imagined as a delicate cyborg waltz and ‘Cataphract’ featuring Kuedo, runs a twisting, turning melody over unsettling chords, dubby drums and a bumpy ride bass that pumps like a fearful heart. The EP finishes with ‘Chunk’, its glassy plodding melody rattling out over a desolate atmosphere and slowed down fight-game phrases. An astonishing debut from a name you’ll hear much more of this year.