Makebo 'Beyond' on Rubicunda

There is a specific sweetness in "Beyond," Makebo's latest for Rubicunda, that does not immediately surrender its source. It is a record made of several moving parts that do not resolve until a particular moment on the dancefloor or through a particular pair of speakers, and that is its quiet strength. It has found its way into the crate of one of the genre's most attentive selectors: Volen Sentir placed it 10th of 19 in the Blurred chart on 28 Feb.

Volen Sentir and Makebo share a lineage, with both artists having released on Anjunadeep and Shanti Radio, and it shows here. Makebo's records often ride a bright, percussion-rich palette, and "Beyond" is no different. It is a balanced, effective cut: even hand between drum and tone, a busy percussive surface, a loud record with some give under its peaks, and a top end that is neither bright nor dark. All of these attributes place it perfectly in the mix.