By: Jordan Calvano

There’s a classic Beastie Boy line that advises, “Let it flow / let yourself go / slow and low / that’s the tempo.” Take out the slow; add a little sweet to that, and you’ve got the latest jOBOT release.

Joe Wendt, a resident of Studio City in California, has spent the last few years developing a sound that is at times heavy, slimy, crunchy, and incredibly nasty. Wendt is a classically trained jazz bassist using his talents and knowledge accrued from years and years of work, and bringing it straight to the EDM world. His powerful bass tones tend to leave listeners in a psychedelic trance while keeping their heads bobbing. Along with his long list of original soundscapes, he has released prominent remixes of artists like Maroon 5, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, and most recently Stephan Jacobs. jOBOT also added his catchy tune, “Bottle of Bumpy,” to the Disciples of Headtron: Vol 1 release, which featured other talented artists from the collective like Sugarpill, Russ Liquid, and ChrisB.

On his debut EP Sweet and Low, released via Street Ritual, we see jOBOT adding sugary bass straight to any crowd lucky enough to hear these cuts live like it was a little pink packet of sweetener from a diner.

The opening track, “In a Slimy Way,” immediately captures the essence of what jOBOT’s music is about: effervescent grooves with a no-nonsense, heavy vibe.

“Truffles Not the Afterthought,” immediately releases funky and grimy bass tones, which are held together by a strong glue of heavy snare hits and an overall mysterious aura.

“Crackle Tip,” opens with a speedy, atmospheric intro that has the power to transport the listener’s minds to the top of a snowy mountain, and than unleashes musical terror as the avalanche hits. The track is a great example of Joe’s ability to effortlessly mash up grimy dubstep tones with groovy synths to create sounds that are unique and balanced.

The closing cut, “Noodoo,” is a musical journey that seems to continually change its pace, while leaving the listener dumbfounded as to what force of synthetic sounds will strike next.

Sweet and Low is a hit. It is an impressive first release from jOBOT, and is sign of good things to come for this up and coming artist. Keep your eyes on this guy, because there are only good things in the future for him.