Well-established big hitter KETTAMA has launched his long-awaited new record label, G-TOWN RECORDS. For those who are unaware, the name ‘G-Town’ comes from a nickname given for Galway City in the west of Ireland that has more of a welcoming big town vibe instead. It is truly a breathtaking place, as voted the European City of Culture for 2020 (thanks for ruining that one, Covid19). The label’s untitled debut release (G-TOWN001) offers 3 tracks that are hard hitting and willfully engage any listener if they aren’t already getting up to dance along.

Starting off on a great note, up first on the A-side comes “We Plant The Roses”, an appropriately attractive name for a beautiful track. Fasten your seatbelts for this one, as the hard-hitting kick drums alone will bounce you away well before the simplistic yet hypnotic synth melody kicks in; It has that sunny day vibe to it that would put you in a great mood and inspire you to push that bit further if you were exercising or dealing with a daunting task at hand. No faults in this one, it is sure to become one of the artist’s most associated songs in due course. KETTAMA’s signature sampling style can be heard throughout, ultimately culminating the track in a pyramidic aural journey for the listener.

Next up we have “5 Pound Spesh” as the highlight song of the EP, having been teased as the initial introduction to the EP whilst being on pre-sale before the other songs featured in the release. It can be considered as a statement of what is the evolution of KETTAMA’s present style and sound at the present time. It is certainly a high time song to any set. It is reminiscent of the European style of techno that is predominantly popular at the moment (i.e FJAAK) with all the elements of a techno track, but yet gives enough wiggle room that it could unsurprisingly be played in any DJ set; Keep an eye out on your favourite DJs’ mixes for the very near future, as this will definitely pop up and get you in the groove. The synth alone prompts a mental picture of being amongst thousands of other raves at Warehouse Project in Manchester or any large event for that matter. Overall, this is an excellent introduction as to what we can likely expect in the form of KETTAMA’s new represented sound that retains his roots so well.

Lastly on the B side, we have “Ski Mask”, once again with the hard, unrelentless and breaky drums that is synonymous with the new KETTAMA sound embodied along with a euphoric and uplifting vibe. The melody retells of summer days gone and yet to come and could be very much envisioned at a festival as the sun is setting (with a night of endless possibilities still to come). The track’s lofi synth unexpectedly tricks the listener as it comes to the middle with the breakdown yet surprises you again as it begins to come up; Who knew a track could be such a meaningful mix of what once was and what currently is when it comes to an artist’s style? KETTAMA did, that’s for sure.

Overall, the EP is a brilliant introduction to the label as well as KETTAMA’s first solo EP release of 2021. We look forward to the future releases of both the artist and the label itself; The EP is currently for release in both a digital and 12” physical format (at £5 and £8.80 each respectively). The physical format has already sold out once, so grab the inventory while you still can. The EP can be found on G-Town Record’s Bandcamp via this link.