Artist: Kaybee
Title: Speed Of Sound / That's Why
Label: M Theory Records
By: Simon Jones | 13 July 2004
Tracklist:

• A: Speed Of Sound
• B: That's Why

Kaybee "Speed Of Sound / That's Why"

With activity in the Zero Tolerance camp having being rather quiet in the last few months, it's been a while since we've heard from young Kristo Beyrouthy. Under the guises of Kaybee and also Precision alongside ZT stalwart Gab Oliver, he's been putting out forward thinking beats for the last few years, having been nurtured and guided within the confines of the infamous DMC studios in Australia from his teens, under the watchful eye of many of Zero Tolerance's past masters, such as Ivan Gough, Phil K and of course Gab Oliver. Jonathan Lisle has been a fan of Kaybee's work and indeed the Zero Tolerance sound since it's early inception, so it comes as no surprise that Kaybee's latest single 'Speed Of Sound' finds it's way onto Lisle's M Theory imprint.

From the moment the track begins to shift in action, 'Speed Of Sound' wastes no time in locking you in to it's thick, atmospheric layers. Swirling riffs ricochet off the walls of the soundscape, the dubby stuttered beats and moody bass creating a unique sound that will develop over the course of the next few minutes. The groove in itself is a dark and moody, with the bassline sliding from side to side, letting various effects filter, adding a dynamic futuristic twist to the track. The eerie tension that lingers during the break is superb, and leads into a finale that, to borrow one of Lisle's phrases, takes things to the "next level".

Don't be mistaken for thinking that 'That's Why' is merely a filler on the b-side, as this track holds it's own just as well as it's counterpart. Rapid drum percussion conceals the minimalist melody that simmers deep within the many layers of the track, adding to the twisted dark sounds that give the groove it's driving edge. Big stabs change up the tempo mid way through, and the melody's trippy tendencies are soon brought to the forefront. In fact, the one thing that grabs you about this track moreso than anything else is the way it's elements are rotated around under cover of the big atmospheric moods that remain omnipresent. The resulting track is a deep, dark and delicious piece of work very different to anything of this style I've heard in the last few months, and just perfect for those late night sets at 3am in the morning.

This single has some real depth and is probably the most forward thinking release yet on M Theory, and whilst it may not be as immediately striking as some of the label's previous releases, it's top notch production and dancefloor dynamics make it a winner and whilst for me it's not the mother of all M Theory releases, it is without a doubt a release that many of you will regard as the label's best.