Becoming Real –Spectre EP (Not Even / Moshi Moshi)
4/5
By: Charlie Hearn
Becoming Real has a slight Burial-esque quality to both his production style and public image that cannot but ooze with intrigue. There’s something about the anonymity shared by the pair (are they a pair?) that, when coupled with the dark mood of their music, is almost hair raising. However, in contrast to his brethren’s haunting dubstep, Becoming Real has chosen to carve a niche out of another recent phenomenon in underground British music, this offering being distinctly more Grime-flavoured. Full of glitchy electronic beats and rehashed samples, the sparse simplicity of Becoming Real’s portfolio has also lead to a number of comparisons with the genre’s iconic forerunner Wiley.
Spectre is the next instalment in a run of limited edition 12” releases showcasing two new tracks, and a couple of sturdy remixes and instrumental interpretations. This particular outing sees Becoming Real team up with ex-Roll Deep member Trim, who provides the lyrical content on ‘Like Me’ and ‘Showdown In Chinatown’. The deft preciseness of Becoming Real’s beats make for a squeaky clean backdrop, directly juxtaposing Trim’s murky subject matter. On first track ‘Like Me’ the Wiley comparisons start to make sense as the song has an irking familiarity, yet still manages to leave a fresh impression on a beat that couldn’t be more Grime if it tried. Although ‘Showdown In Chinatown’ trumps it, spinning out into a dizzying world of spliced samples, somehow managing to remain grounded in Trim’s dark muses on a troubled reality.
You can catch Becoming Real support Baths at our upcoming club night at Camp Basement in Shoredich on 15th November – advanced tickets are available here.
Like Me (feat. Trim) by Becoming Real
Artists in this article: Becoming Real
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