Coming ahead of a deluxe version of Bleeds, the latest remix by Bristol’s Pinch pushes Roots Manuva‘s Don’t Breathe Out into darker headspace.
Having played a hand in the early days of dubstep founding the Tectonic label, Pinch is no stranger to scraping beats and warped electronic sound. Kicking off with some serious low-end thump and choral vocal processing, the mix strips back on the brighter elements of the UK rap pioneer’s original to evoke a more spacious sound. Lavish production shifts out for a hollower and haunting ambience. If the original reflected some sense of triumphalism, this floating mix touches on something more dejected.
Despite Pinch’s skillful decompression, the track still carries the bravado of Manuva’s bounding wordplay. Yet there’s greater emphasis on Don’t Breathe Out‘s ominous chorus lines than its more personal reflections. This said, there’s no shortage of drive, with rhythmic patterns creating a percussive counterpart to Manuva’s downcast and confessional delivery. Pinch strikes an optimal balance amidst infectious groove and seriously twisted production.
Bleeds (Deluxe Edition) will be dropping August 19th via Manuva’s Big Dada label. The expanded take on the album will also collect remixes from Kode 9, Champion and rLr.
Bleeds (Deluxe Version) by Roots Manuva
Read more: Album Review: Roots Manuva, ‘Bleeds’