At the risk of speaking in hyperbole, it would be difficult to name a harder working fixture in the US bass-music world than Justin McCauley- known to many as Roommate. For nearly a decade he has worked tirelessly at perfecting his craft as both a producer and DJ, and that effort has paid off in droves. The San Francisco based artist has toured tirelessly domestically and internationally, while still finding time to start two new imprints (King Dubbist & Avocaudio) and co-found another (Hollow Point Recordings). Nowhere, however, does Roommate's ambition shine brighter than in his productions. Coming from a longtime background as a guitarist, he has an ear for melody and phrasing matched by few, and his innate musical understanding truly ties the room together.
His latest release, the RESPECT EP, brings us 3 tracks of classic Roommate sound, the perfect juxtaposition of carefree dub rhythms and sinister undercurrent. A lazy, sliding guitar riff leads us into a reverb-heavy orchestra of deep reggae sounds. The track is punctuated perfectly with a sneering mid-range bassline. The next track, 'Massive Respect,' builds on this theme seamlessly, while delving into much more psychedelic territory. The apropos vocal sample is stretched and contorted hypnotically beyond recognition, and the tune reaches zenith with a glassy, mischievous synth line from the great beyond. The final track (listen and download below) is the perfect landing-gear for the intense journey of the previous two tracks. Receiving blissful guitar treatment from the talented Josh Greenfield, the melodic banger is sure to put a smile on any listener's face.
Follow the soundcloud link above to hear the whole EP, and be sure to grab your copy of the release on Beatport!
-Evan Franklin 13 Jun 2016
His latest release, the RESPECT EP, brings us 3 tracks of classic Roommate sound, the perfect juxtaposition of carefree dub rhythms and sinister undercurrent. A lazy, sliding guitar riff leads us into a reverb-heavy orchestra of deep reggae sounds. The track is punctuated perfectly with a sneering mid-range bassline. The next track, 'Massive Respect,' builds on this theme seamlessly, while delving into much more psychedelic territory. The apropos vocal sample is stretched and contorted hypnotically beyond recognition, and the tune reaches zenith with a glassy, mischievous synth line from the great beyond. The final track (listen and download below) is the perfect landing-gear for the intense journey of the previous two tracks. Receiving blissful guitar treatment from the talented Josh Greenfield, the melodic banger is sure to put a smile on any listener's face.
Follow the soundcloud link above to hear the whole EP, and be sure to grab your copy of the release on Beatport!
-Evan Franklin 13 Jun 2016