March: 7 bass & club releases you need to hear this month

RGL '1 Thing' (Breaker Breaker)

Breaker Breaker is the South London label that put out house producer Ross From Friends’ debut EP, ‘Alex Brown’, to critical acclaim. For its latest release, it’s sought out up-and-coming talent from Tokyo in RGL (real name Rigly Chang), who’s also a member of the multi-faceted Cosmopolyphonic collective. ‘1 Thing’ is actually three things, each track an exemplar of sunny deep house. While the Ross From Friends release was more sombre, RGL’s record is definitely more cheerful and goes well with the early evening.

It’s romantic and fuzzy: ‘S U G A’ silkily sets the tone with a groovy piano riff and soft handclaps, ‘What About’ works in a jazzy bassline and an effervescent disco sample, and ‘Wade’ submerges you in soothing echoes and a myriad of glistening percussion. The best bits of ‘1 Thing’ come midway through the tracks, when the EQ opens up and you’re deliciously enveloped by the full range of sounds. The warmth spreads like water, seeping gently into the breaks little by little.

8/10