Zomby – Where Were U In ’92?
Written on 12 March 2022 by Andrijan Apostoloski
I discovered Zomby through his releases on Hyperdub, and his catalogue of music threw me off: this guy was all over the place with ‘badboi’ riddims, dub and rave fused together so well, that he easily takes one of the top places of artists which influenced me and my music taste as I continued forward.
His LP “Where Were U In ‘92”, originally released back in 2008 for Werk Discs, got a re-release on the London label Dream Catalogue in digital and cassette form on February 13th, 2022.
“Where Were U In ‘92” is one of the staples of contemporary rave music, perhaps Zomby’s finest work to this date. It’s full with old-school stabs that coexist with groovy bass-lines and ‘reese’ synths which were present back in the 90s. The breakbeat elements never seem to disappoint, however throughout the release he maintains a very healthy balance and keeps himself from going out of the edge with experimenting, making this a sweet listen that’s appropriate for many occasions. He recycles similar (or even possibly the very same synth sample stab) sounds, with their own twist on each track and never seems to get dull throughout the 40 minute length. Blending genres such as jungle and breakbeat, dubstep and even reaching ghetto with his Gucci Mane remix, this LP is a must-listen timeless release, and it’ll stay relevant and fresh, no matter what year we’re at.
