Miguel Campbell. Danny Daze. Richy Ahmed. The list goes on. One glance at the Hot Creations artist roll call leaves little doubt that London-based label bosses Jamie Jones and Lee Foss know how to pick ‘em. And young Newcastle recruit Patrick Topping is no exception, already racking up several standout releases on the cult label over the last 12 months, and who now returns with his most dance floor crushing effort yet, “Boxed Off.”
Still riding high from his last EP, “Get Beasty,” which dropped to widespread acclaim back in February, it would seem 24-year-old Patrick Topping possesses both impressive production skill and a formidable work ethic. Despite the short turn around between EP’s, “Boxed Off” is a fast and triumphant follow up, continuing in the same viable, tech house vein of its highly praised predecessor. A hypnotic 3 track packet of predictable brilliance, Patrick Topping’s “Boxed Off” strikes the balance between club-ready rawness and slick, studio production, the secret to his much-lauded past releases.
“Boxed Off” opens with “Forget,” a chugging, bass-laden bomb that’s set to be a crowd-pleasing favourite for DJs spinning post-3 a.m. It’s magic lies in the tune’s sweet, mostly-spoken vocal cadence, which Topping masterfully plays off against a menacing bass line, sending the listener on an atmospheric slippery slope of light and shade. Next up it’s the EP’s namesake tune “Boxed Off,” which centres around a choppy, orchestral opener, before plummeting into a thunderous bass riff of perfect techno proportions. Finally, “Schwicked” closes off the petite and perfectly formed EP with an appropriate amount of Topping style, fist-pumping fanfare. It’s “Schwicked” in particular that shows off the young producer's unique ability with FX, the clever use of which, turn the track from a simplistic, tribal groove to a tripped-out and infectious anthem.
Expertly produced and commercially astute (we’d expect nothing less from under the watchful eye of Jones and Foss,) “Boxed Off” will only serve to further cement Patrick Topping’s steadily bubbling, future house star status. Most at home blasting out into the depths of a packed dance floor, each of the tracks on “Boxed Off” demonstrate Topping’s undeniably consistent “all killer no filler” production nous. Already a favourite of Radio 1 spotters Annie Mac and Pete Tong and signed up for 2014 releases on Defected, Circus Recordings and Resonance Records, this truly is the tip of Topping’s very talented iceberg.
Listen to Patrick Topping on Pulse Radio.