Fifteen years on from the launch of Don’t Be Afraid, Semtek returns with four stripped-back, propulsive house dubs, continuing the label’s rich history of instinctive and forward-thinking dance music. The full EP ‘Four More Dubs’ is out now.
Opening track ‘Elements VIP’ combines bumping 909s, swirling Detroit-inspired pads and deep bass into a hefty house roller. ‘Bubble Science’ is a headier trip, weaving organ chords through a mesh of percussion and laser pulses, before ‘Northern Lights’ slows the tempo and deepens the mood, with synths and vocals layered over a slinky after-hours chug. ‘Focus Pull’ closes the EP with sinuous rhythms, offbeat snares and cowbells pulling irresistibly against a winding bass line.
It’s a fluid and varied selection of styles, reflecting the fact that Don’t Be Afraid has always been built around intuition and chance.
When he founded the label in 2010, Semtek only intended to put out a handful of records: instead, a set of early demos from Mr Beatnick (and the public reaction to them when they were released) convinced him that it was something worth persevering with.
From those first releases, Don’t Be Afraid grew to become one of the best loved underground club imprints in the UK, putting out music from Ikonika, rRoxymore, Karen Gwyer, MGUN, DJ Bone (under his Differ-ent alias), Neville Watson and many others, pushing musical boundaries and earning widespread acclaim throughout the 2010s and early 2020s.
Based in the UK, Semtek has worked as a DJ and producer since the late 90s, putting out mixes and releases for Don’t Be Afraid, World Unknown, Rubadub, FACT Magazine and L.I.E.S. as well as for Liftin’ Spirit, Ulterior Motives, The Trilogy Tapes, Blackest Ever Black and Berceuse Heroique under his DJ Persuasion alias.
A loose sequel to his Four Dubs EP from 2017, Four More Dubs is entirely in keeping with the improvisational, unpredictable and deeply human approach which has defined Semtek’s career: connecting to the past, pointing to the future, returning Don’t Be Afraid to the fray, and reminding us that when we’re at our best, we’re still dancers at heart.
DBA046 Semtek – Four More Dubs EP
1. Semtek – Elements VIP
2. Semtek – Bubble Science
3. Semtek – Northern Lights
4. Semtek – Focus Pull
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