Album Review: Justin Martin - Ghettos And Gardens

Dirtybird regular Justin Martin has delivered a solid artist debut in Ghettos And Gardens, with the album's title a summation of the creative tenet as he switches between sweetened statements of melodic electronica to dirty bass driven grooves.

Opener Hood Rich sets up the sonic dyad as it moves from party vocal drops into a string section that then gives way to broken beats. Don't Go then continues to develop the auditory crux of the release as it weaves catchy vocal sampling through late night house, supplemented with a refreshingly original harp sample. Ghettos And Gardens begins with a two minute Daft Punk-inspired intro that shifts into a throbbing dancehall piece of nastiness. This could be seen as both an original outpouring of creativity on the one hand, yet a slightly forced attempt to push the track leftfield on the other. Yet by this time the shifts are expected, welcomed and warming, which only raises the question of where Martin will move next. Ruff Stuff answers this by delivering a subtle yet catchy hook, and is one of the tracks in the middle section that delivers evenly delivered dance production. This shift, which begins with his re-creation of Goldie's Kemistry and ends with Lezgo VIP, shows Martin to be a songwriter of considerable skill and club hardened experience.

Finishing with the mellow yet molecular production of Ladybug, the distinct impression is of an album that has been created from within deep forethought. It also doesn't tire after repeat listens and, while more garden than ghetto for the most part, gives lovers of multiple genres of electronica something to sink their teeth into.