- Jake Hodge has been a presence in Bristol's underground for some time, but it feels like he's only hit his stride in the past year. His work as one half of deep house duo Outboxx, while often excellent, is more retro-minded. A handful of solo releases, meanwhile, have seen him searching for a sound to call his own with limited success. It's only since collaborating with Peverelist on "Bells" that Hodge has found a more original response to the Bristolian aesthetic. The ensuing Resolve / Prototype Fear, all junglist clatter and darkside atmospherics, felt right at home alongside the likes of Pev and Kowton, but brought some new ideas to the table, too.Fittingly, Hodge's latest arrives courtesy of Livity Sound sub-label Dnuos Ytivil.
"Amor Fati" has few frills. There's barely any textural or rhythmic detail beyond what's necessary, and certainly no narrative surprises—just a muscular syncopated groove a la Pev that rolls on and ever on. In the wrong hands it might be dull, but there's such an immense weight and intensity that it's difficult not to get swept along. "Renegades" is craftier. It's almost "Resolve" part two—the same scattergun snares and distortion-crunched hi-hats feature—but in this configuration the groove is more stable, highlighting Hodge's debts to UK funky. As with fellow Dnuos signees Batu and Alex Coulton, it feels like he's fleshing out the Livity canon without challenging its basic tenets.
TracklistA Amor Fati
B Renegades