Blawan - 'What You Do With What You Have'

More heat coming from Blawan, just at a time when you'd be forgiven for thinking the young producer had given the best he had to offer for a while on the last two releases. 'Potchla Vee' - featured on Hessle Audio's '116 & Rising' LP - and 'Getting Me Down' represented the latest efforts in an almost faultless back catalogue from Barnsley born Jamie Roberts, a factor which he seems to take great care and detail over, quality over quantity. However, new material is surfacing, with a track titled 'What You Do With What You Have' according to Ben UFO aired on Hessle Audio's previous two Rinse FM shows. And my word it hits hard.

'What You Do With What You Have' follows a similar construction to that of 'Getting Me Down', yet somehow it seems to do with more bite and efficiency. Once again, we see a wonderfully lifted vocal sample acting as the heart of the track, with all other elements carefully weaved around Moodymann's distorted statement. This sample was founded in Moodymann's RBMA lecture, and the way in which Blawan has adopted the lines is nothing short of brilliant (click here to view the lecture - clip at 18:00). The track sets the vocal sample in a 4/4 house rhythm, built in signature style with interplay between various percussive layers - a feature prevalent in much of his previous production. 303 acid lines submurge the rhythm, complementing the manipulated vocals and driving beat with the dark melody each stab works to generate. It's the way in which the vocal sample is arranged that resonates, however, hypnotising you into a groove. Blawan on his finest form. Whether or not we'll be seeing this on 12" is unknown at present, but I'm hoping an R&S release is in the pipeline.


"But I’m going to tell you something. It ain’t what you got, it is what you do with what you have. It ain't what you do, it is how you do it, and that goes with anything. I don’t care if you are out here selling dope, do it well. I don’t care if you are out here selling pussy, fuck it well. It is not what you do, it is how you do it. Who gives a fuck what that motherfucker say? Who gives a fuck what that motherfucker say? You have to be comfortable with yourself at the end of the night. ‘Cause that motherfucker over there isn't paying your bills, that motherfucker over there, you don't know that motherfucker from Adam Scratch, you have to be comfortable in what you do. And whatever you do, do it well. When you leave here, what you do, do it well. It ain’t what you got; it is what you do with what you have." (Kenny Dixon Jr aka Moodymann)