B. Traits has joined Samurai Music to release the first project under her Baby T alias. The Portra EP takes Price back to her roots — centred around hardcore, drum and bass, and jungle — except, in her words, “this time I’m not 18, and I have zero fucks to give.”
The EP is made up of five different mixes and remixes of “Portra”: the “hybrid mix,” “jungle mix,” “ambient mix,” “Homemade Weapons remix,” and “Ancestral Voices remix” respectively. Each of the original mixes sit at various points on the spectrum of dance music, from at-home listening to being in the middle of the dance floor at 6am. “Portra (Ambient Mix)” naturally lies at one end – though the almost eerie tone, and the mood it sets make it a perfect track to start the night off with. The “Hybrid Mix” sits at a perfect mid-point between the “Ambient Mix” and the “Jungle Mix.” The sort of track that feels equally apt in the club or to bop around to at home, it’s high-energy without being too much.
The “Portra (Jungle Mix)," however, is the star of the show. A million miles away from the “Ambient Mix,” it’s high-impact, dancefloor melting stuff; if going back to her jungle roots is Price’s aim, she’s hit the nail on the head with this one. A relatively lengthy, minimalistic build up allows listeners to get themselves geared up for a highly percussive, bass-fuelled drop. Allowing the energy to drop back down again for another pressure-filled build up makes that second drop twice as sweet.
The two remixes that accompany the originals bring a fresh sound to the track. The “Homemade Weapons Remix” is largely bass-focused. Stripping back the percussive elements and allowing the bass to feature as a centre-piece gives the track a completely new, and very interesting direction – it’s an extremely effective remix that was made with the dancefloor in mind. The “Ancestral Voices Remix” brings something equally different to the table; a far more spread out track, it takes a while for things to heat up, but the pay off is worth it. Again, very bass-heavy, this remix is perfect for warming up or closing down the night.
Portra can be streamed via Spotify and purchased via Bandcamp.
