Artist: Steve Porter
Title: Homegrown EP #1
Label: FDS Recordings
By: Chloe Harris | 13 June 2004
Tracklist:

• A: Beats N' Potatoes
• B: Lady Elaine
• C: Purina
• D: Square Dancing

Steve Porter "Homegrown EP #1"

The return of Steve Porter sees him delve into some fresh new sounds, while maintaining his playful and groovy basslines and thick beats. The 'Homegrown EP' is full of piano bits, groovy shuffling beats, bass and some lovely synth work to make the heads spin. His sound has matured and changed a bit here, taking in hints of classic sounds and mixing them in with the added vibrancy of jazz and funk.

'Beats N' Potatoes' starts the EP off with a smooth ride through piano sounds and a sweet groove. The housey beat starts in with claps and delayed sounds, while a nice bassline rolls underneath. Piano sounds dance through different keys and shuffle around keeping a groove. A small arpeggiated synth forms in the background adding a nice harmony working off the piano. The whole tune moves through up and down key changes until the song slowly fades back into the drums and bass.

'Lady Elaine' has a focus on heavy punchy drums and carnival bell sounds. The bassline rides up and down a groovy scale, but has a lot of funk to make you move. Melodic bells are taken just a bit off kilter to give a fresh trippy feel as they bounce along changing up and down scales and keys. This is a very summery vibey tune full of jazzy overtones mixes into carnival beats.

Steve lays on the synths for 'Purina'. Nice beats start in with a synth groove that's been looped and changes tones. Working into a slow bassline, synth stabs lay into the drums climbing up scales and unleashing clever melodies. Key changes and jazzy overtones keeps it all moving through the break and to the end.

'Square Dancing' is a sweet shuffling piano crazed tune. Mechanical drums and hard stabs create a heavy percussive groove, while twisted squishy sounds fall into the beats. A tiny looped synth is added, pushing the song into a massive build. The shuffling piano is heard climbing in the background, bouncing through different notes. Short tricks and edits keep the song moving through break beats till the end.

The 'Homegrown EP' is a class mix of sounds. Steve delves into his housey side and plays up his lush side, all while maintaining his golden approach to basslines and funk. This is the first set of tracks to be taken from his debut album, with another EP to follow, so be on the watch for some more of his great basslines soon.