Conceived in 2015 as a party and then transformed the following year as a record label, Arkityp is the fusion of London’s Archie Hamilton and Rossko. From the very beginning, the project has generated an incredible hype around, as the pair have released both blissful deep cuts like “XR3i” and heads-down-hands-up stompers – as the name suggests – like “Maximum Boost”.
The second chapter called “3 for a Tenner” was released in 2018 and after a year hiatus to concentrate on their solo activity, the two halves meet again for AKPT003. In fact, both the guys have been super-productive over the last year, with Archie committed to releasing his debut album Archive Fiction and Rossko full-focused on preparing his upcoming Late Night Skanking label.
Click HERE to buy Pyramids Of Geezer EP – AKTP003
The project’s strength lies into a genuine long-time friendship and their ability on effectively complement one another, cutting down to the essential and providing exactly what the dancefloor needs, whether it’s peak time, sunset or those special after-hours moments.
Arkytip then reaches its third instalment with the three-tracker “Pyramids Of Geezer” EP.
Opening with the infectious “Hyper Speed”, the Londoners up the tempo, delivering a high-octane club anthem. Their penchant for rich and dynamic soundscapes from across the house sphere quickly becomes apparent as they fuse driving synths and harsh drums beneath delayed vocals. The groove sounds sharp and boxy, with just the right amount of reverb, dense and defined, whilst the bassline flows liquid, undisturbed. Noisy snare rolls, introducing acid warped synths that culminate in an explosion of airy and uplifting spacey sounds. After the first few minutes, a catchy and emotional synth makes is appearance, stealing the limelight to the powerful groove. Grainy FX move all over the track, sweeping and washing out the mix. The speed continues to increase and it’s like a trip across the galaxy. We can clearly feel the tension the two wanted to express. Cruising in deep space. Dodging asteroids. Discovering new realities. Fasten your seatbelt, it’s “Hyper Speed” time.
https://soundcloud.com/meoko/premiere-arkityp-hyper-speed-arkytip-03
Up next, “Learning, Earning and Gurning” brings us down to earth, into the wiggly and trippy dimension so dear to both of the artists. Hypnotic leads stand out distant as the dubby percs wisely panned in the mix, while a robust kick and a snaking bass lay right in the middle, spelling the rhythm alongside pressing shaker-ish hats and overpowering snappy claps. Bell-like arps create a nice light atmosphere, whilst noisy pads shine in a huge space, merging with the heavily sidechained vocal. It’s the extreme-processed delay on the vocals that almost make them jump on the upbeat, creating a homogenous texture with the other drum elements, giving to the whole piece an endless rotation mood. There’s an impressive dose of craftsmanship in this music: confirming the two UK producers themselves as forward-thinking musicians.
Last up, “California Sunrise” definitely got the funk! Bass rolls super tight, with doubled congas hitting fast and swingy, reminding us in certain aspects the groovy “Ricochet” but in a heavier magnitude. Heads down. Hands up. Eyes shut. The clap is further apart, splashing in a wide plate. Dark pads create an evocative background layer, to which are added sinister strings and splashes of gloomy sounds. The main open-hat sounds very old school and introduces an interesting contrast with the grain of the other groove elements. There’s a very ambient-music imprint in the choice of the sounds used, in stark contraposition with the club-dimension of the track. In fact, when the track kicks in, abruptly, an acid bassline arises. The raw 303 sound is gritty and growly, answering to the dreamy stabs that open our panorama to a beautiful and wider view, only visible from the top of the pyramids of Geezer. Acid sunrise in the swing word. Stunning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejy3Xpd268g
Words by Francesco Quieti & Francesco Zambianchi
