Household Digital extends its reach from the coast of California’s Bay Area and into England’s only island city, Portsmouth, with Laurence Reed’s Whispers And Rumours EP. Having over two decades of experience, Reed is a veteran house DJ that has played alongside his share of heavy hitting, cutting edge electronic artists. He’s naturally progressed into capturing these sounds in productions, with releases on labels like Attrakt Records, Sounds of Juan, and Digital Overdose Records.
Reed dives right in on “High People In Low Places” with underwater radar pings, sci-fi pads, melodic keys, and deep sub bass. Introduced by a strong clap, “Ever Done” slowly builds with tonal stabs and bleeps revolving to hypnotic effect before vocal repetitions bring back a human aspect. Taking things one step further, a nuclear meltdown sounding alarm signals the urgent arrival of “Letters On The Fridge,” and soon a jacking bass line enters lock down and radioactive synths begin to seep in. On “Whispers And Rumours” the atmosphere gets deeper as a moody and rich synth groove rises under percussive pitter-patter. Sharp strings cut through a fattened low end and sensual whispers rumour at late night situations.
With his first release coming on EyeQ records in the late ’90s, Tom Gillieron (Turbo, Keinemusik) has had a bright production career that includes the support of some highly influential names. His remix uses cavernous and reverberating stabs, one even sounding as if struggling for breath, along with chugging mechanical effects and a tense, high winding synth. For his dub mix he peels the layers back, but still to a devastating effect. The connecting thread of the Whispers And Rumours EP feels as if it was sown in a tech-filled, industrial warehouse.
Terry Francis (Wiggle / Fabric) - “Hard to choose a favorite. Good EP.”
Tensnake - “I’m loving Tom Gillieron’s deep remix.”
Diz (Iz & Diz / Vizual Recordings) - “Cosmic boogie … very!”
Tyler Stadius - “I love Tom Gillieron’s dub. The groove is heavy!”
Scientific Funk (Wiggle / Evasive) - “Great mix of grooves, bleeps and flavours … underground to the core!”
Tom Lown (Savoir Faire / Lost My Dog) - “Very lush stuff going on in the Tom Gillieron remix.”
Simon Tappenden (Ourra / Pop Out And Play) - “Nice EP! Laurence has got a tough groove going there. But for me, Tom Gillieron’s more dreamy remixes are the choice.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “The original cuts are cool here and ‘Ever Done’ is a cracker . But it’s Tom Gillieron’s remixes that are the ones for me. The dub in particular is superb bass-led stabby house at its finest.”
Deepshizzol (MyHouseYourHouse) - “A different kinda jackin’ feel … quiet and deep but still with tuff beats and techy stabs. Nice.”
Leri Ahel (Mutant Disco Radio Show) - “All versions of ‘Whispers and Rumours’ are great.”
Clive Craske (RadioReverb 97.2FM, Brighton) - “Deep house of the highest calibre. ‘Ever Done’ is almost subaquatic (very Portsmouth). ‘Letters On The Fridge’ is the hardest and my fave cut. Tom Gillieron turns in a couple of superb rerubs.”
Adam Collins (Euphoria Records / Omni A.M.) - “The groove in Tom Gillieron’s remix is HUGE! Amazing … I can’t wait to play this. Household is on fire!”