The You/Me EP is the latest release from iO Sounds, the current working name of London based producer Rob Burn (previously simply as iO). It's the second release from label Diamond & Raw and there is a clear focus on quality, slightly left field dance music that's welcome round my way. Burns has only released a couple of releases prior to this, through the MadTech and Infinite Machine labels, but there is plenty here to like.
Burn's production work has an ambient Ballearic feel to it but it applies a surprisingly experimental finish. The title track is a dubby house track full of deep soulful cut-up vocals, low-end bass and glitchy percussion work. The vocals are applied like instruments to create a surprisingly atmospheric and emotional sounding track that mirrors the current movement of artists such and Andy Stott towards dub influenced dance music.
Three mixes of You/Me are included alongside the original. Mak & Pasteman go more upfront, applying a big synth riff and drum machine claps to the track to create something a little more directly dance floor facing and ravey. Forget Me Not creates a harsh tribal sound from hollow-sounding but hard percussion and the dreamy application of the vocal cuts to create a big, emotive drop. Finally a digital only mix from Ado, a druggy and mind-bending journey that slows the track down and uses pitch-bends to create an disturbed yet epic take.
The release comes with a second original track in the form of Dirty Little Secret and it is equally bass heavy but rather than being glitchy Burn has used a speedy, garage influenced drum track that combined with the bass gives the track a heavy, rolling feel. Cut-up vocals are applied once again together with string samples. It doesn't feel quite as fresh as the title track but is a hot track blended with a little soul that will likely find favour with those looking for a faster tempo. The mix of Dirty Little Secret comes from Lakosa, who creates a slower, house mix of the original but it lacks the verve of everything else here.
You/Me EP is out on 27 May through Diamond & Raw, available for pre-order on MP3 from Amazon.co.uk [affiliate link]. Check out the EP via Soundcloud below: