Reviewed: Kontakt ‘Shotcaller’ EP
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For the past two years Kontakt has sat on some of the most sought after dubs in the Drum & Bass world. Finally, the Norwich based producer blesses us with his booming EP ‘Shotcaller’.
Kontakt’s ‘Shotcaller’ EP drops with a bang and stands firmly like stone as one of the year’s most anticipated releases. This comes as no surprise as track after track is a showcase of talent and dedication to the music. His abilities erupt in each tune, consistently showing off his style and energy. The EP is a varied collection of tracks, each bringing their own flavour to the whole meal. ‘Shotcaller’ is everything we would have wanted and more. This EP stands strong as part of Onyx Recordings ‘Obsidian Series’ alongside Mofes and Manual.
Kontakt ‘Shotcaller’
The first track to address is the massive ‘Shotcaller’, which has been consistently high in demand by every DJ and his dog. The entrance of the sample perfectly stands side by side with the bass, which explodes into your ears taking you up in the sky and dropping you back down with it. You can hear the clean drums running alongside the bass, all coming together into one insane entity. This track represents Kontakt’s hard hitting drums and big energy production. It’s the type that makes you wish you could hear it through huge speakers in a dark room with big lazers.
Dancehall is a given to make anyone want to move their body, and ‘So Far’ is another look into Kontakt’s skill set. Bringing you in with a dance floor filler, and smacking you in the face with a dirty bass. The two styles fit perfectly together as Kontakt orchestrates yet another portrayal of his production abilities and technical talent. The bass, staying true to his style, is dark, gritty and teetering on the edge of industrial, whilst respecting the dancehall taste. It has certain aspects which remind of a mixture between Potential Badboy and Jam Thieves. This is a tasty treat for any Drum & Bass fan, and a style that makes me really miss the old days when we could go and have a dance!
Kontakt ‘So Far’
Kontakt and Stompz is a pairing that will inevitably end up with a huge amount of ammunition. ‘Bruk Out’ does not fail at all. It’s eerie start and wobbly bass lure you in and open you to the spooky side of life. Soon after, the mechanical whirls hit and you’re brought back into the aggressive hitting synths and bass. This meeting of talent brought the heavy heads what they wanted, and it didn’t fail expectations.
Kontakt & Stompz ‘Bruk Out’
Each track holds its own, with the samples or melodies creating a mantra, from spooky to dancehall. Whilst it still demonstrates the signature style that Kontakt has created for himself.
‘Goodbye’ is no exception to this either, although the breaks for me give it a really small tinge of jungle. The start almost gives me a feel of Hype’s ‘Chopper’. This collaboration with Warhead is massive. The drums bang and the bass hits. For me a favourite on the EP. It’s a huge shame to not hear this smash at festivals! But on the brightside, Onyx are giving the track away as a free download on their Soundcloud.
Kontakt & Warhead ‘Goodbye’
Kontakt has delivered one of the naughtiest EP’s this year for the scene and given us all something to look forward to. The EP takes you on a journey and has his signature flair. Its big tune after tune would suit a variety of environments, from home to Printworks. Something that feels needed in these unprecedented times when we don’t know the next time we will hear bangers like these on the speakers of Boomtown or Motion. I know I can’t wait to move my feet to all of this as soon as this is all over!
Kontakt ‘Shotcaller’ EP is available now so grab it from here
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