My task for today: find something to say about Session Victim’s “Motivation,” a track that I really like but which is not much more than a 1-bar Rhodes loop, a tight beat, rumbling b-line and some male vocals courtesy of Ras Stimulant. Really, that’s pretty much it. Sometimes at the end of an eight-bar section they double up the Rhodes lick or put a delay effect on it, there are a couple of sections where they drop the kick drum and bassline out and there’s also some pretty low-key filtering of the main loop — but this is one of those tunes that just hits a decent groove and rinses it out, where the producers clearly hit upon this particular riff and were like “Yep, that’s it, loop that up and we’re good.” The loop is killer, the production sweet, the arrangement steady, controlled and above all driving: expertly done.

“Dromedary Twist,” the second track on the EP initially didn’t make much of an impression on me but its subtle charms revealed themselves after a second listen. It’s just the right side of jazz-tinged house, with a pleasing chord progression that goes ever-so-slightly outré before resolving itself. It’s very much a tune that you’d play at a particular moment: when you need a neat deep house jam with an aesthetic that is somehow both devotional and soulful yet feels taut and restrained, then drop this.

Final track “Green Run” is a down-tempo, laid-back groover, with some Stevie Wonderish synth tweaks and b-line, lots of pads, washes and key tinkles and a tight rhythm section — chilled out it may be but you can still dance to it.

⚪️ Tracklisting

Session Victim: The Intangibles (Delusions of Grandeur / Digital)
1. Session Victim: Motivation (with Ras Stimulant) (07:02)
2. Session Victim: Dromedary Twist (06:09)
3. Session Victim: Green Run (05:04)

Photo by Tomek Kmiecik

⚪️ Disclosure Statement

This record was submitted as a promo.

⚪️ Previous Coverage

⚪️ 10,000 Hours of Session Victim (2022)
⚪️ Session Victim return to the dancefloor for “Two Crowns” (2021)
⚪️ Patrice Scott Remixes Session Victim on ‘Isle of Taste’ (2020)
⚪️ Dive into Session Victim’s DAWN from Delusions of Grandeur (2019)
⚪️ Session Victim: Listen To Your Heart (2017)
 

The High Life: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #205 featuring Orlando Voorn, Mira Ló, Victor Simonelli, Carly Wilford, Maxime Dangles, Turbojazz and more. Help keep our vibe alive and our shine bright by becoming a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right away!