Single Review: Dj Swisha Sweet – 500 Followers Ep

Still remaining largely out of the spotlight, the America ballroom scene is turning out some of the most vital, rough edged dance music going. This EP from Swisha Sweet – yours to download for a name-your-own-price amount – amounts to the tip of a particularly fierce iceberg. Whilst the 'Ha!' sample that characterises much of ballroom has been largely removed from this EP, the massive clap/snare on the final beat of the bar remains, giving each of the cuts a vicious percussive energy. There are hints of grime – 'Monochrome Ting' borrows the weird little snare droplet sound Wiley used to cane, and 'Wake It Up' has some proper fucking hyped MCing from Buddah – he turns a snippet of 'Drunk In Love' into a bitchy street chant, closer to the kinetic style of UK jungle and grime MCs than the lyricism favoured by most American MCs. Elsewhere, the Wiz Khalifa sampling 'Up In It' works in the spring sample beloved of Jersey Club – another mark of the two scenes' growing closeness. Essentially, if you find yourself tiring of the increased smooth commercialism of mainstream dance, you could do worse than grab this shot of proper, forward looking underground club shit. Recommended.

Grab a copy from here.