Grove – Slippery

This year saw Bristol-based, polymathic producer and vocalist Grove landing on the city’s most consistently thrilling and iconoclastic label, Bokeh Versions. Following up their uncompromising breakout release, Queer + Black, a potent statement of intent blending hectic breaks with lacerating lyricism, SPICE sees Grove embracing the Bokeh way and delving deeper into mutated forms of dancehall, dub and hip-hop. “This mixtape is an ode to the exciting and lust-filled period of new relationships, and explores everything from steezy self-confidence, to slippery sensual encounters and the soft cheeks of a lover,” they explain. “Delving into the beauty of production that is firmly rooted in both Jamaican and British culture has been a great process of personal growth. Being a person of dual-heritage, the dancehall and dub elements are the Jamaican spice, mixed with the undeniable influence that Bristol has had in terms of sonic darkness and experimentation.” At the EP’s climax comes ‘Slippery,’ a steamy queer