Staff Reviews

Trim - 1-800 Dinosaur Presents Trim

Review by Nick Roseblade

Where they go from here it’s hard to say, but it’ll be well trim!»

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Produced by James Blake, Airhead, Happa, Bullion, Klaus Boothroyd and Dan Foat! A trailblazing Radio 1 show, unparalleled club-nights and a promising label, the 1-800 DINOSAUR crew are undoubtedly a focal point for all tastemakers alike. With a string of understated 12" releases, 1-800 Dinosaur are now set to unveil their first full-length release. Anchored by Trim's polarising narrative, '1-800 DINOSAUR Presents Trim' is a collaborative endeavour featuring a slew of 1-800 members and affiliates, including: Happa, Dan Foat, Airhead, James Blake, Klaus Boothroyd and Bullion. Outspoken and sharp, Trim's introspectively sinister delivery weaves hypnotically between the 1-800 crews' varying soundscapes. Emerging Yorkshire producer Happa - who's stock continues to rise with each release - puts forward a tribal-like march on 'Before I Lied', with Trim eerily advising to "be careful who you laugh amongst". Already in circulation, the videogame like progression of 'RPG' seeps with Blake's signature off-kilter soul, feeding the subversive nature that Trim revels in. Each track unlocks, heightens and explores an alternate, unsettling tone from the E14 resident's armoury. Dan Foat - a notable figure in the re-emergence of the highly reputable R&S label, and all-round music aficionado - contributes a groove-laden affair on '13tH Apostle'. Airhead serves up three idiosyncratic tracks: 'Waco' channels Trim's confrontational nature; 'Stretch' engulfs the analytical, self-reflective view of his isolated position within the UK scene; whereas 'Man Like Me' is undeniably the most anthemic track from the collection. Bridging a generational gap between pioneer and a product of the scene, Boothroyd provides two contrasting compositions. Having unveiled a remarkable collaborative EP with London mc Maxta towards the back-end of 2015 on Rinse, Boothroyd blankets psychedelic bursts over one of Trim's calmer deliveries on 'White Room,' whilst 'No Manners' is entrenched with a more visceral, grime rooted layout. 1-800 DINOSAUR original Klaus calms the tied with the entrancing 'Seeker'. Elsewhere, revered producer and label owner Bullion (who's fielded release on the likes of Young Turks and R+S), ignites an instant familiarity on 'Among The Living'. '1-800 DINOSAUR Presents Trim' is a collaborative innovation, melding a range of UK producers from varied ends of the spectrum, yet who sonically all share an acute and innate sense when exploring the depths of production. The end product culminates in an ethereal linear guided by the distinct-outsider vocal of one the most under-glorified, yet revered MCs in the UK scene.
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