Jakebob is one of a number of producers advancing grime,
bringing new influences and direction to the sound while keeping the core elements constant. Etnam Street is his latest instrumental release, out on
Red Lagoon.
These are not your standard beats. “Etnam Street” fuses
smooth jazz with moody sub-bass and grimy drum patterns. The result is a
softer sound than you might expect, and to quote Reece West’s mid-reload description
on Reprezent Radio, ‘this one’s beautiful’. Balancing this mellow cut is “Manger”,
the EP’s experimental B-side. Rising and falling choral samples come together
over a pulsating foundation, and complex combinations of off-beat rhythms are peppered
throughout the hard-hitting cut.
Both tracks show the enduring potential of grime to combine with hugely contrasting sound palettes and constantly push the boundaries of the genre, as well as showing Jakebob’s creativity and pure production power.