Carré
Hibiscus
Tempa
Carré is firmly woven into the new generation of dubstep artists bringing vitality to 140. Alongside such artists as Beatrice M and EMA, the California native represents a refreshing shift in a genre that has long been heavily male-dominated, opening up a more inclusive space while also pushing a sound whose deep and meditative qualities speak to the dub part of dubstep. In the past two years alone, she’s graced imprints like SPE:C, Bait and Woozy, and has also co-founded Fast at Work, a label extension of the LA-based party of the same name.
Now based in London, Carré makes her second appearance on foundational label Tempa with Hibiscus, an EP of sure-footed, techy dubstep with a title track that’s primed to be a landmark in her burgeoning career. Linking up with bbyafricka is an inspired move, and Carré smooths out a subdued, heads-down bed to complement the LA rapper’s sultry flow. There are pronounced hooks to the track — “you’re the only one I’d break a nail for” — that draw out artful shifts in the production, pointing the way for Carré to build towards more pop-minded production in the future.
There’s a polished sheen to the music across the Hibiscus EP that would lend itself to broader exposure, but that never comes at the expense of the music’s underlying weight. “Ride It Out” is icy and punchy, evoking a little of SpaceGhostPurrp’s steely Southern trap, while “Warm Light” flourishes upwards with luminescent dub techno chords. “X Effect” throws up a different proposition, as Carré guides an initially lean stepper towards a trance-coded arpeggio, making clear that she’s thoroughly comfortable weaving her own stew of influences into the modern dubstep recipe.
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