DEBUTS: Jack J ‘Something (On My Mind)’

Vancouver, BC based label, club and all round good-times-guaranteer Mood Hut have been in enviable form as of late. A string of carefully-honed 12″s and pored-over mixes have garnered acclaim from all quarters, including many Boiler Room favourites: Ben UFO, Midland, Bake, Max D and many more. Things are bubbling very nicely indeed. Yet, with the forthcoming release of MH007, they may well have outdone themselves.

It comes via Jack Jutson, one half of Pender Street Steppers, who played Boiler Room’s Mood Hut showcase earlier this year.  “Looking Forward To You” and “Take It To The Edge” would make a superb split alone, but what’s nestled away on the flip truly elevates the releases. “Something (On My Mind)” can lay a firm claim to track of the year so far: a prime cut of hypnotic, honeyed house goodness, done to absolute perfection.

That Mood Hut have chosen an August release is surely no coincidence. Across its 10 minute runtime, the song is strongly evocative of summers past: the choppy hats and cantering kickdrum are about as unobtrusive as percussion can get, ebbing in and out at will; microsamples swirl about the mix, adding a luminescent shimmer atop; small doses of echo and dub applies toward the end mimic the gentle warping of a heat haze; plus, that sax? Pure piña colada.

Arguably the real star of the show is the softly loping, infectious bassline provided by Jutson himself, anchoring the featherweight accompaniments around it. Taken as a whole, “Something (On My Mind)” fits into a vintage lineage of tracks that ably walk the line between forthright and wistful. It brings to minds 00s electronic cornerstones like The Field’s “A Paw In My Face” and The Avalanches’ “Two Hearts In 3/4 Time”, or Andrés’ indelible 2012 breakout “New 4 U”.

Having sat on the unmastered demo Jack sent back in February, we’re chuffed to finally be able to share it with you – it’s lost none of its charm in the interim. Let it overtake you this summer.

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