Champion – ‘Execution’ EP

Champion returns to the fold with the brand new ‘Execution’ EP, soon to be released on Skrillex’s new label Nest HQ.

Hailing from Hackney, Reiss ‘Champion’ Hanson’s bass-drenched productions took the UK Funky scene by storm back in 2011: gaining him support from the likes of Roska, Terror Danjah, Ben UFO and the Butterz crew. Following the huge success of his ‘Motherboard’ EP, Champion made the move to set up his own imprint Formula Records, releasing the brilliant ‘Lighter’, ‘Sensitivity’ and ‘Crazy’ as well as landing the label a residency at London’s East Village. Touching upon House, UK Funky, Garage, Bashment and Grime in his work, the East London beatsmith is an absolute don when it comes to making fresh and forward-thinking club music.

Champion’s early grime roots can be clearly heard on EP title track ‘Execution,’ opening with a dominating war cry of a bass line. As the track rolls on, the bass line blurs and twists around snappy up-tempo hi hats and built in rewinds: that initial strength of the bass becoming woozy as Champion deconstructs the core of the track, creating that playful bass-orientated club sound he masters so well both in his production and live shows.

B-side track ‘Listen Da Bass’, featuring Serious One Clip, is a winding Bassline anthem purpose built to go off in the club. A self-proclaimed Bassline head, Champion steers away from the traditional use of female vocals on the track and takes things in a grimier direction with his use of MC host-styled interjections; punctuating the warped bass line with vocal clips hailing the listener to ‘hold up ya lighter’ and ‘listen da bass.’

Check out the SoundCloud clips below, and keep your eyes peeled for the EP’s release on June 30th.

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