Live Review: Frames 'Step2'

Sydney producer/DJ/FBi radio host FRAMES is gearing up for his new single launch, and the clue is in the title. This is 2 step garage, there’s no question about it.

‘Step2’ is not the heavy four on the floor of traditional house or techno, this is more of a shuffled beat-skipping rhythm that lurches you through its six-minute duration. Frames garners your interest in the off-centre claps and triplets that are layered on top of the two kick drum beat – having only two kicks to a bar makes the track feel slightly more mellow and laid back.

Centred around a funky garage clap beat, there’s a male voice that muscles in occasionally and, as if spoken through a muted megaphone, he offers some familiar idioms about the fact that ‘it’s been a long time’ and tells us about ‘what I’m gon be’. Frames has modelled the track on the blueprint for classic funky garage, but develops it away from just simply a beat-centric display towards something more new-age, thanks to the spacey lasers that shoot around once the track gets going.

It’s a funky little number that confidently harks back to old school 2 step garage. 'Step2' is out on June 19 via Club Sweat. You better step to it.

Words by Katie Rowley

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