New Release :: Future Garage Double Shot (Joy Orbison / One Bok)

Some pretty cool releases coming from Future Garage OGs Joy Orbison and Bok Bok this week.

To kick things off, Joy O's dropped his first full-length, "still slipping, vol. 1" as a sequel of sorts to his 2019 EP, "Slipping".

Then, Night Slugs founder Bok Bok has opted for a name change as he kicks off a new label, AP Life with a double EP/beat tape of his own making, under the name One Bok, entitled "Zodiac Beats Volumes 1 & 2".

Joy Orbison: "still slipping, vol. 1"‌‌‌‌

‌‌Rating: 8/10‌‌‌‌

Review:

Overall, "still slipping, vol. 1" is pretty solid record. It's nothing terribly surprising or groundbreaking, but it doesn't really need to be. Solid, dark, psychedelic, moody future garage grooves mixed with a tasteful homage to 90s trip-hop and illbient; it's slick, spacious, and introspective. There's a subtle warmth that lies just beneath the icy surface on every track that makes the entire effort sound like the Burial/Disclosure collab we never knew we needed. Definitely worth a listen, and it makes you wonder why Joy O waited this long to deliver a full-length album...

Standout Tracks:

"sparko", "swag w/kav", "better", and honestly the entire first half of the album.

One Bok: "Zodiac Beats Volumes 1 & 2"

Rating: 7/10‌‌

Review:

Bok Bok becomes One Bok for this Double EP/Beat Tape, and honestly it's exactly what we've come to expect from the Night Slugs founder, but the significance here is that he seemingly has used this release (and name change) as an excuse to launch a new label, AP Life. Aside from that it's a pretty bog standard, but still solid, double EP. Ten tracks (with vocal skits breaking up either "half" of this beat tape) of Bok's signature dark, crystalline, trap-influenced garage beats. Nothing terribly challenging or different here, just solid future garage beats which are worth a listen.

Standout Tracks:

‌"Pisces", "Nine Saturn", "When I Start"