David E Sugar – Memory Store
Review by Jack Foley
DAVID E Sugar has firmly established himself as one of the more promising talents on the UK underground scene, off the back of singles such as Party Killer.
He’s known for some trademark bassline grooves and off-kilter lyrics, which place him somewhere between the upmarket funk of Mark Ronson and the dance of Calvin Harris (who he has recently supported on tour).
Now that his debut album, Memory Store, has arrived, it’s difficult to know whether he’ll make a successful leap into the mainstream and distance himself from the underground… or, indeed, whether he wants to!
There are some moments to really enjoy, such as Keep It Simple, Did You Ever Have A Good Idea and Cambridge Sums, which add some interesting and very hip beats to the usual mix.
But there are other moments, such as Party Killer, Something New and Not Revolution that don’t really do him many favours, and which expose his vocals as less than charismatic when not backed by the right kind of beats.
On tracks like Cambridge Sums, in particular, Sugar embellishes the song with a rich sonic backdrop… guitar riffs, rolling beats and, yes, that bassline, as well as a decent vocal set.
In contrast, Not Revolution is more simple and leaves you pondering why he couldn’t have incorporated the same sense of ambition into everything he does.
That said, as a coming of age record that should at the very least cast Sugar into a wider spotlight, it’s fun, funky and occasionally take notice enough to suggest that he could yet make the leap into the mainstream.
Download picks: Keep It Simple, Did You Ever Have A Good Idea, Cambridge Sums
Track listing: