After our post last month on the Rothmans Record Store Day Marathon Session, we were given their latest release to check out. It is out today and available from any good record store. Though unable to make last months party ourselves, we heard it was a storm and are making an extra special effort to make their next event, 30th May, Soup Kitchen, Manchester (tickets below). We suggest you do the same. They will be hosting Mark E’s Manchester leg of his UK Tour, with support from their strong lineup of residents.
This will be their 6th release, and their first of 2014. We have been listening to it at full volume here at YAMB, as we are sure you will be right now using the player above. ‘The Socrates EP’ comes from Coyote, the guys behind Is it Balearic…Recordings. This is their second appearance on the label after being featured on the Claudio Gentile release last year. Remixes come from Mark E (Merc/Spectral Sound) and Ste Spandex (Wet Play/Red Laser Records).
Keeping in line with the labels theme of Rothmans football stickers, the release title and artwork pay homage to the infamous Dr. Socrates. This release is as fresh as the player himself and here’s hoping that this release will help Rothmans go down in history like this guy did.
Opening with spoken word, from which the tracks title is derived, played over a rolling bass line, the EP opens with ‘Passing Memories’. The kick drops leaving a great little groove which gets the toes tapping. A quirky melody lands giving a bit of sparkle to the track and rounds things off nicely. Mark E offers a peak time rendition. Beefing up the bass line, toughening up the drums and dropping the melody for sustained chords. This builds a little more energy into the track. When the synth does kick in we get a hands in the air moment from the drop. Mark has stayed true to form on this one.
On the B-side we have ‘Act Like you Know,’ with a slower tempo, acid elements and strange male and female vocals, which echo around the track. This one grows on you slowly with enough there to leave you always wanting more. Ste Spandex speeds things up with his Live VHS Clubmix. The kick drum drops in almost tricking you and the finish is very rough and ready, adding to the tracks improvised feel. This version is heavy and driving, perfect for a late night club swagger.
All in all this is another solid record from what we are finding to be a label which is moving forward with an increasingly impressive series of releases. Don’t hang around and pick up a copy today. They are limited so will be gone fast!
Available now on Juno: http://www.juno.co.uk/products/coyote-the-socrates-ep/525028-01/
Rothmans Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rothmans
Coyote Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/coyotesounds
Coyote Howl Blog: http://coyote-howl.blogspot.co.uk/
Ste Spandex Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ste-spandex
Mark E: http://www.elasticartists.net/artist/mark-e/
Rothmans Presents….Mark E Tickets available here: http://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Manchester/Soup-Kitchen/Rothmans-Presents-Mark-E/12173450/
