Here at When We Dip we love to see Irish acts doing their thing on the international stage and today the act in question is Sligo towns very own Hamo. Who is half of deep house duo Brame & Hamo. They have relocated from the west of Ireland in search of greener pastures in the musical focal point of Berlin. The guys, while they may be young have plenty of released under their collective belts. And have had releases on Dirt crew and Heist recordings alike. This time released on their very own Splendor & Squalor label. This is only the second release on the label but I have no doubt that it will continue to grow and flourish.

The first and title track, ‘The cotton club’ is a light airy feeling house track that reminds me of the likes of Max Graef and HNNY. Record crackle sampled discreetly in and unique sampling give this brand new track a very classic and old school feel. The track has a great sway and flow that just makes you want to move to the funk heavy beat.

Then there is ‘Wonce’ which immediately reminds me of turn the page by the streets. But the vocal quickly sends that thought away and you are engulfed in the drum and hand clap combination and a fluttering piano melody. While this is still very much a house track you can feel a strong undercurrent of hip hop coming through that gives this track an extra bump.

The next track is something that very few people would expect to see. An out and out hip hop track featuring Irish rap collective “This Side Up“. Hearing rap with a very strong Irish accent is something I can’t personally say I have heard very much of and quite frankly if it sounds like this then I can’t wait to hear more. The lyrics are creative, original and intelligent and flow to the beat with effortless ease. For a producer who is known for making house music this is a seriously good hip hop track and I for one would like to hear what else is to come from Hamo along these lines. Perhaps this young Irish man could find himself making beats for some bigger names in the future? Stranger things have happened.

Then on the flip side is the remix of ‘Wonce’ courtesy of Kickflip Mike. Great remix that brings enough outside ideas to almost become a track independent of the original. Very upbeat and light hearted but with a heavy undertone thrown in there for good measure. Sneaky potential to do a little bit of damage on dance floors in the right space and time.

Lastly then is a wobbly little number by the name of The Black Lodge. Continuing on from what Kickflip Mike had done on the previous track. It retains the light housey bounce of the record but with the odd sample thrown in there for good measure. Hamo clearly has a wealth of knowledge of music that has come before him and uses this to the best of his ability. Soul and hip hop are large influences in the music that he is making and I eagerly await what he comes up with next. The cotton club is out right this very second and you can grab it HERE.