Artist: Hook & Black
Title: Lifecycle
Label: Segment Records
By: Chloe Harris | 3 September 2004
Tracklist:

• A: Be Your Own Boss Mix
• B: Fingers To The Bone Mix

Hook & Black "Lifecycle"

Hook and Black are house music legend Nick Hook and Segment Records manager Matt Black. Nick Hook is someone you should already be familiar with, as he's released a dozen records on FFRR, Whoop, Limbo and React and has been supported by the likes of Sasha, John Digweed, amongst others. Matt Black has enjoyed his recent success with his label, as well as playing at Turnmills and Audio Deluxe in London, and doing a mini tour in Poland. His own music as Sub Aqua gained him attention worldwide, but this release could be his best release yet, and with two versions there's a nice groove for everyone. 'Lifecycle' has tribal elements, mixed with a cool mid section of spacey sounds and delayed vocals, and a housey bassline ready to make you move.

The a-Side comes to us as the 'Be Your Own Boss Mix' and that it is. Tribal drums lay the groundwork for the percussion, while the toms take you off and a light stab starts to pulse in the drums. A vocal comes in, delayed and vocoded, talking about everyday life and the things we all do; "Get up, go to work, then sleep". A groovy bassline pops in after the vocals, moving the song to a sinister groove. An arpeggiated synth starts in rolling over the beats and bass, and pulls us deeper into a straight kick drum and wiggly bits of sound. A string tone comes in and follows the kick until everything comes back in and grooves its way out.

On the flip, the 'Fingers To The Bone Mix' has a more progressive edge to it, with more focus on the vocals as a percussive loop and a sassier feel to the beats and bass. An acid sound twirls into the drums and voice, and drops into a spacey middle taking over the tune and becoming a great hook. The arpeggiated sounds come in, along with a slaphappy drum that hits down and funky. Another stab sets in adding a harder element to the mix and finally finishes up with warm tones bringing it down.

Hook and Black let go of a great release on Segment Records. Their tribal elements work well with the spacey sounds, and a cool stabbing hook makes this song stand out along its groove.