During the Summer lockdown, fledgeling party collective Easy Does It raised money for the NHS with their brilliantly curated compilation Care Package. Featuring Leeds electronic artists of every calibre, the party collective provided a spotlight for top-drawer DIY talent while raising funds for an important cause. This November, as we move into another national lockdown, the Easy Does It family are back with another serving of Leeds talent.
This second compilation, entitled Move Free, brightens the spotlight cast by the first EDI offering. Featuring returning artists such as the up-and-coming phazma, slippy mac, DJ Double Oh! and Permahigh Records founder Mike Drones, this new offering presents an evolution of each artists' sound. Returnees also include T.C. Young - whose Care Package contribution featured on BBC Radio 6 - and Ren, who’s seen features on mixes by Objekt and Teki Latex.
Move Free presents an eclectic mix of first-rate producers in the Northern electronic scene. T.C Young's opening track, 'Spare Parts', eases you in with a calming offering of synths, before Mike Drone's signature heavy drum slabs coax you towards darker depths. phazma and dancefloor specialist slippy mac continue this expedition with their stand-out blend of twisted synths and cathartic rhythms.
The syncopated sludge of DJ Double Oh!'s track is the perfect mid-point for the album. As the intelligently disjointed drums develop into a heavy, intoxicating rhythm, it is hard not to be transported back to hazy memories of sweaty dancefloors. This track lays the perfect foundations for Nahi Mitti's eclectic track to shine through; the Discwoman guest skillfully layers unorthodox sounds to create a sonic offering that bounces with ruthless momentum. Ren's rousing contribution to the compilation stands as a summit to the compilation, as the Permahigh producer's moving synths make way for the ethereal soundscapes of album closers Yvos and Happy People.
All profits from the sale of the record will be donated to PAFRAS (Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers), a community-based charity that supports destitute asylum seekers in Leeds. PAFRAS provide mental health support, casework and food parcels for asylum-seekers in Leeds, who have launched an urgent appeal for donations under increasing need due to Covid restrictions.
The Easy Does it founders Emilio and Leo took the initiative to release Move Free after the positive reception and successful fundraising efforts of Care Package: "With no possibility of live events resuming on the horizon, we felt a second compilation was a positive way to contribute to another important cause and keep active in the increasingly threatened Leeds DIY music scene."
Download Move Free on Bandcamp
Learn more about the work PAFRAS do here
Words by Meg Firth