JNS – Sour Grapes [Honey Badger Records]

South-Korean DJ JNS, the founder and head of Honey Badger Records in Seoul, is dropping his debut feature-length album, “Miasma,” on October 30th. JNS is steadily rising in the electronic community. Recently, he performed a killer set for Boiler Room Seoul in 2019 (his second Boiler Room following his debut in 2016) and has debuted numerous original songs and remixes on famed radio stations like BBC  Radio 1, NTS, Redlight Radio, and Worldwide FM. He has also been at the forefront of showcasing South Korean talent through his record label, which is coming off a productive year with three EP releases, including Closet Yi’s sensational “Ruminate EP” which we covered on the site back in May.

Track three on the album, “Sour Grapes,” is a deceivingly mellow cut involving layers of instrumentation that creates a steadily escalating groove. Starting off with a jaunty bass-line, skittering percussion quickly settles in giving the track a slightly high-strung energy. This is soon balanced out by spacey synth washes and that recurring bassline. The track ultimately shapes itself into a tight-yet-languid micro-house tune, existing somewhere in the space between restless and chilled-out. 

JNS seems to languish in this tough balancing act. The tempo increases toward the end of the track but cuts off just before it feels like it might finally spin out of control. It’s clear from this song alone that JNS is a master craftsman of finely-tuned, expressive House that defies easy categorization.

Pre-order.

Gilad. L