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Favorite ThisOH TEBINS!: Half Lit, Half Bent EP Review

Published: March 22, 2012

By: Jordan Calvano

Simplify Recordings is becoming a major force in today’s NorthAmerican EDM scene. Aaron Simpson’s brainchild is picking up its pace and adding more and more incredibly talented and diverse artists to its star-studded roster that includes producers like Minnesota, Sugarpill, NumberNin6, and Phutureprimitive.

One of the most recent releases from the Simplify squad is by up-and-coming Tucson artist Kevin Speltz. He produces under the moniker OH TEBINS!, and is quickly piecing together a steezy sound that fuses mid-tempo glitch-hop with some ample servings of dubstep and drumstep to top it off. Kevin has been adding cuts to SoundCloud for the last few years now which include remixes of Mimi Page, Nucleya, and Mew, while also releasing smoldering hot originals like the Luv.Er and Arizona EPs. The sun might be burning bright in the Tucson area, but it has got some competition from OH TEBINS!

Half Lit Half Bent erupts with potent sounds that will leave any listener crossfaded from start to finish. The cuts retain the feel of his previous releases while improving and adding a whole new funk to his sounds that seem to be influenced by cultures all across the world.

The EP opens up with the title track, which quickly entrances anyone tuned in to its immersive and sexy synths and transports them straight to the Great Wall of China or anywhere there imagination chooses to take them. The song features bright snare hits that end up being a driving force for the whole tune.

“Tickle Parts,” is a quick paced thrill ride that features a powerful groove and soulful vocals that riddle their way in between the notes of a serotonin boosting instrumental containing captivating pauses and an eerie aura. Close your eyes and let the music do the rest.

Closing the EP is the is the beast of a track, “Teasing,” which opens up with faint vocals that weave their way through an emphatic intro that eventually drops into high pitched tones that will cause any crowd to have a head rush due to the impact of the incredible impulse. The songs continually changing pace is a refreshing breath of air that transposes itself consistently from a heavier energy to a slowed down tempo.

Half Lit Half Bent is a hit. Kevin takes his already impressive production to a whole new level and adds another EP to his repertoire of music.


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