SteXis / Jonnie Common - Split (10" vinyl)

Fence Records have sent us another of these split 10”s on their ‘De-Fence’ offshoot imprint. These have tended to have pretty illustrious artists doing something a bit different on them so it’s always interesting to give them a listen.

This time around there’s a side from SteXis and one from Jonnie Common. SteXis is the duo of Steve Mason (Beta Band) and Alexis Giles, and on their side they drop a coupla tracks of supa-brite acidy ‘90s house with heavy 303 usage throughout and occasional cut-up soulful vocals and synth washes. It’s loads of fun and it’s making me feel like I’m on some dodgy pills at a rave in some barn in the middle of nowhere.

Flip it and Jonnie Common busts out some alternative versions of tracks from his most recent LP which have developed in the live setting from their original recorded form. I’ve not heard him before but the tracks on here have chunky house beats heavily informed by early hip-hop and electro, with Jonnie busting out some broad Scottish raps all over the top of them and some nifty little minimal chiptunesy synth melodies.

It’s very charming actually, quite silly and not much like anything else around at the moment. Both sides deftly demonstrate that you can make fun, catchy music without resorting to cliche. It’s making me bob mah heid.