EP Review: Brame & Hamo's Three Track EP 'Trants' is a Diverse Selection of House

Brame & Hamo have been known for their niche house sound, one that has been finding major support from different audiences around the world. Releasing on big labels such as Heist, Drumpoet Community and several others, the duo are on a paved path to success and world wide dance floor domination. Their latest three track EP Trants is out now on vinyl and digital, with German label Sligo. They explore different moods, with each song possessing individual character and personality.

We can immediately hear that the first track, Trants, is the one meant for the peak hour. It starts with a vibrant house beat that would fill empty dance floors in a matter of seconds. Lots of high hats, rides and cymbals create an energetic atmosphere, with a heavy bass line delivering a generous dose of depth to the overall sound. Repetitive melodic elements define the tonality of the piece. This repetition diminishes when the pads are introduced in conjunction with organic drum fills. Lush pads create a beautiful harmony through the counterpoint, properly contrasting the melody. The track's tension rises from these pads to build up to a subtle yet powerful drop stripped from the melody, going straight to the point with energy and substance.The second track Hurt You, is a faster, darker and more minimalistic production. It revolves around a filtered soul vocal sample repeating the phrase “I hurt you” - like a never ending sinister voice in your head. This is laid over a cut up beat and bass line coming in intermittently. Low, moody chords and the bass set the vibe of the track, where everyone on the dance floor is in full on "gymnastics mode," a smirk on their face. There is a good mixture of these straight up minimalist beats with filtered dub chords that provides the right amount of subtle psychedelia without things turning messy. Brame & Hamo are exploring new ground here, providing a slightly different aesthetic than their other works. The vocal loop is quite in your face; one would think that due to the small amount of percussive elements that there would be less energy, but the duo maintains that energy by constantly keeping the track moving forward.

The third track, Clarence is the most laid back of the three and serves as the EP’s flip side. Warm piano chords over a rolling beat follow a standard four to the floor pattern, the samples chosen to create it sound like they were sourced from an actual drum set, giving an organic sound much sought after in the current digital age. The duo’s influence of house is distinctly visible through the sound design of the track, resembling much of their previous work such as their hits Ghetto Lament and Ghetto For You. This can be especially heard in the color of the pads - filtered and delicate.

New elements are constantly added as the track progresses, evolving the groove into something more whole. Although this could be considered the perfect track to start the night, the track could even be considered the strongest of the EP and could work in many different situations - including peak time. It clearly portrays the progress Brame & Hamo have been making, another chip off the old block that is their signature sound.

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