OOFT! returns to reclaim the landscape

The Glasgow-based producer goes deep with new EP for the Clandestino crew

We've not seen or heard too much from Glasgow man Ali 'OOFT!' Herron in a little while, so we were happy to lay eyes on this, his forthcoming EP for the Clandestino crew. Having released a steady stream of high-grade underground club sounds – ranging in style and tone from slow-motion disco to organic sounding house – OOFT! first came to our attention over a decade ago, with outings on Delusions of Grandeur and Instruments of Rapture, as well as the L.E.S.S. Productions label he ran with The Revenge. He's also graced the rosters of labels including Wolf Music and Quintessentials, Midnight Riot, and his own FOTO imprint. He has a knack for capturing an infectious hook and has turned-out a selection of essential edits over the years, but here he delves deep into realms of emotive, classic-sounding house with a delicately varied EP. There's a distinctively retrospective essence to the entire EP, which wouldn't have sounded out of place in the '90s golden era, alongside the output of Pacific Records and the like. Opener 'Reclaim Landscape' is a blissful sunrise jam, it's staccato acid line providing the steady core around which emotive pads soar and hypnotic spoken-word vocal permeates. 'Obligatory Consumption' retains the lush atmospheric texture but has a more urgent feel, upping the tempo and adding a Detroit-influenced chord progression to take it further into club territory. El Clinico Magnifico' is the most mellow of all the original versions here, gently chugging along as ethereal waves swell and subside. On '21 Processes' the emotive feel continues, rich but melancholy pads rise over a rubber band bass and crisp drum programming, with snappy snares adding energy over the evolving melodies. Balearic leaning housers Clandestino complete the package by offering up a pair of lovingly crafted remixes of 'Reclaim Landscape'. The first version stays true to the essence of the original, unfolding over a lively arrangement adding a respectable rave break and organ stabs to the repurposed acid part. The 'Beach Version' drops the tempo and pulls the drums right back to deliver a super-chilled ambient excursion, introducing the track into purely horizontal realms.

We've not seen or heard too much from Glasgow man Ali 'OOFT!' Herron in a little while, so we were happy to lay eyes on this, his forthcoming EP for the Clandestino crew.

Having released a steady stream of high-grade underground club sounds – ranging in style and tone from slow-motion disco to organic sounding house – OOFT! first came to our attention over a decade ago, with outings on Delusions of Grandeur and Instruments of Rapture, as well as the L.E.S.S. Productions label he co-ran with The Revenge. He's also graced the rosters of labels including Wolf Music, Quintessentials, Midnight Riot, and his own FOTO imprint.

He has a knack for capturing an infectious hook and has turned-out a selection of essential edits over the years, but here he delves deep into realms of emotive, classic-sounding house with a delicately varied EP. There's a distinctively retrospective essence to the entire EP, which wouldn't have sounded out of place in the '90s golden era, alongside the output of Pacific Records and the like. Opener 'Reclaim Landscape' is a blissful sunrise jam, it's staccato acid line providing the steady core around which emotive pads soar and hypnotic spoken-word vocal permeates. 'Obligatory Consumption' retains the lush atmospheric texture but has a more urgent feel, upping the tempo and adding a Detroit-influenced chord progression to take it further into club territory.

OOFT! on the posh ‘n’ becks

El Clinico Magnifico' is the most mellow of all the original versions here, gently chugging along as ethereal waves swell and subside. On '21 Processes' the emotive feel continues, rich but melancholy pads rise over a rubber band bass and crisp drum programming, with snappy snares adding energy over the evolving melodies.

Balearic leaning, leftfield housers Clandestino complete the package by offering up a pair of lovingly crafted remixes of 'Reclaim Landscape'. The first version stays true to the essence of the original, unfolding over a lively arrangement adding a respectable rave break and organ stabs to the repurposed acid part. The 'Beach Version' drops the tempo and pulls the drums right back to deliver a super-chilled ambient excursion, introducing the track into purely horizontal realms.

OOFT! 'Reclaim Landscapes EP' is out on July 31 on Clandestino. You can listen and buy it here