FACT mix 38: Hot City

Adored by Drop The Lime (who opened his FACT mix with it) and Mary Anne Hobbs amongst others, Hot City’s ‘Yeah’ on Highpoint Lowlife was one of the best breakthrough singles we’d heard in ages.

The mystery producer’s contribution to our podcast series, FACT Mix 38, is one we’ve been sitting on for a little while now, and caning the whole time. Here’s our new talent profile on him from a while back: “I guess my earliest memory of rave would be hearing The Prodigy’s ‘Charley’ on the ITV chart show,” says the anonymous, twenty-something producer behind Hot City. “Then my sister used to play garage all the time when I was growing up, and it just sunk in. From that I discovered Todd Edwards, who blew my mind.”

“These three reference points – populist hardcore, garage at its commercial peak, and Edwards’ New York house – pretty accurately triangulate the Hot City sound. Despite the absence of actual steals – he swears the music is “100 per cent original, played on synths, drum machines and software” – it’s hard to shake the sense that a riff or a vocal tic must have been grave-robbed, from a ’92 piano anthem or a Locked On classic.

“In some ways it brings to mind dubstep’s reconnection with its origins in two-step, to name one comparison. But Hot City refracts the same backwards glance through a rose-tinted, pop culture-focused lens: for once, 90s TV and the sound of your sister’s mini-system are more important than rare darkcore or El-B. Combined with modern-sounding production, the result is something of a breath of fresh air.”

His FACT mix takes in UK Garage from Rhythm Master, Hackney Soldiers and more, and is simply a belter.

Tracklisting:

DJ Rhythm Master – It’s The Way

DJ South Central – Wicked Sound

Urban Dubz – Making Love (Dub Mix)

Ruffneck Revival – Movin’ On Up

Duncan Powell – Brake (4×4)

10 Degrees Below – Fill The Vibe

Eruption – Vicious Dub

The Hackney Soldiers – Da String Tune

Mr Trix – What Mus’ I Do

DJ Delter – Nobody Does It Better