With a stifled rush of warm air, 'The Man Waits' opens south London grime producer Mr. Mitch's EP The Room Where I Belong, and closes on the twinkling, spacious 'Boswers Snout'; his strongest statement of intent so far, and the latest release in what looks to be another stellar year for instrumental grime production. As an affiliate of Slackk's all-grime Boxed club night, Mr. Mitch's sound has found a concrete basement home with the crew - yet at a gentle side-step into its own, distinctive corner. Absent are the wry humour and lip-curl aggression characteristic of much grime; in their place an eerieness that gives a knowing glance to its predecessors, yet with more breath and melancholy than much else of its ilk."I would definitely consider myself a grime producer", says Mr. Mitch. "It's always been the sound I've created from when I started back in 2002/03. For me, it's always been about the instrumentals as well. I've produced tracks for people like Skepta, Trim and Riko before, but it's grime in it's instrumental form that has always excited me the most."Why the pensive title too, figured starkly and simply with the artwork? "This EP is probably the first that I have made where I truly feel at home. I was able to deconstruct grime instrumentals last year when I made my peace edit series, and it allowed me to change my perspective on what a grime instrumental could be. The reaction they received when I put them out proved to me that grime isn't restricted by tempo - and it isn't defined by it's aggressiveness. I could create something with a sound that was distinctly grime, but wouldn't necessarily work in a club. I could create something that came natural to me without having to think about if people could dance to it - or if a DJ would play it."
Advertisement
Mr. Mitch - The Room Where I Belong is released on February 21st through Gobstopper Records.