Bleep

Press Release

“Do you still think about it?” It’s a question asked with longing, with fear, with hope. It’s a question that can be full of risks, yet important enough to ask anyway. Whatever the answer might be, Do You Still Think About It? is Ned Beckett’s new release on Leisure System under the name Dream Sequence. Built for movement without sacrificing emotional intimacy, the EP is an honest presentation of Beckett’s current musical interests, in a tone and style that highlights his decades of experience on dancefloors as both inciter and observer. "Three of the four tracks on this EP originated as collab projects with my old pal Jonathan Valentine, AKA Chevron," says Beckett, explaining how the release came to be. "We were

throwing ideas around, tweaking each other's sounds and hearing what stuck. I've always enjoyed collaboration, but during the lockdowns of the last year it felt especially important to have this kind of musical exchange, and I think that the sum here is greater than the parts." Despite the creation in relative isolation, Do You Still Think About It? hums with the energy of bodies moving together in space. The EP kicks off with the fast four-to-the-floor of "Super Position," with glowing chords that gaze in the direction of Detroit melodic techno and showcase Beckett's ear for making the functional memorable. The title track is the most personal, evoking John Talabot and Caribou alike in a prism of jittery longing set next to a rubbery, plaintive vocal. “Gary Rave” is another standout, bursting through like sunshine cracking open a fog-filled morning. The piano and vocal samples are referential but still fresh, an unabashed throwback that sees Beckett throwing his arms wide around rave energy. It's an empathogen in audio form, and when clubs re-open and festival fields fill again, this is one track you're almost certain to hear and feel a shivery chill of excitement sweeping through the crowd. Lurking at the end is “Changement,” finding strength in simplicity and dissolving into the mist before kicking back up again into stuttering gear. There’s a bit of a chemical twang in the air as you drive down these roads, a reflective atmosphere amidst the propulsion that keeps you awake even on the long ride home.