Under his new alias, Nowt, Chris Watson, best known as one-half of South London dance duo FYI Chris, will be dropping his solo debut EP, High Street EP. The EP will be released on fellow Londoner Will Hofbauer’s Third Place Records label on June 10th. This release marks Chris’ first solo material outside of his work with his FYI Chris right-hand man, Chris Coupe. The duo has built a name for themselves among London dance circles through the independent venue, vinyl store, and community space they opened in South London, Rye Wax, as well as releases on various esteemed labels, including Rhythm Section, Banoffee Pies, Eclipse Tribes, and their own label, West Friends.
On High Street EP, Nowt delivers a playful, highly charged, dreamy set of four house cuts. A-side closer, “Owt”, brings the party to a full swing. From its very opening tribal drum loop, accompanied by what sound like warped bird calls, the latter of which are maintained throughout the track’s runtime, it’s clear that Nowt has a keen ear for blending off-kilter sounds and samples into a wholly distinct and unexpected whole. The track somehow never manages to slip into complete chaos, even despite its tonal shifts occurring at near breakneck speed. There’s a gracefulness that underlines the track’s looseness and playfulness, making this an incredibly impressive and rewarding left-field house banger.