- Now three years into the series, the title Rhythms Of The Pacific has gone from sounding vaguely kitschy to seriously evocative, highlighting a sound that has crystallized around Canada's West Coast. The label's first two releases showcased some of Vancouver's best house music, sounding dazed, dreamy and effortlessly groovy. Another autumn brings another volume of Rhythms, and the third might just surpass the first two.
Slim Media Player, AKA Sam Scott, a familiar face in Vancouver's afterhours scene, makes his production debut on the A-side. Over two long cuts, Scott goes for the kind of spaciousness associated with labels like Soul People Music and Underground Quality. "Dappled Love" is a chunky, late-summer groover made of lightweight elements like hand percussion, vocal gasps, funky wah-wah and a shimmering melody. Touching on Pender Street Steppers' sound, "Pink Hues, Bad News" is also serene, with buried horns and wobbly synth tones.
On the other side, Khotin's "Nimbus (Tomi's Pad Mix)" shows off his sense of restraint, with precise percussion and an acid lead that squiggles within the lines. Electric Sound Broadcast, a producer also known as ESB or Elka (and who released the underrated Chants on 1080p this year), contributes "Waverunner." Exemplary of the Canadian Riviera style, it's a heavy-lidded, jazzy groover that's spiced up with a drum break, striking a balance between laid-back and lively.
TracklistA1 Slim Media Player - Dappled Love
A2 Slim Media Player - Pink Hues, Bad News
B1 Electric Sound Broadcast - Waverunner
B2 Khotin - Nimbus (Tomi's Pad Mix)