David Harrow and Ghetto Priest are old pals. Both are members of the On-U Sound extended family. In 2021 they released the Snapshot Of Reality EP, while 20 years earlier GP contributed to music from David’s trance-y, Technova project and his drum & bass James Hardway alias. However, way back even further when, in the mid-1990s, they collaborated as The Charismatics on a dynamite piece of dance floor dub titled, Work Hard (1).

Salutation is the spars’ brand new single. A shot of new age nyabinghi, the song is a gentle grounation, a poem of praise, full of gratitude for morning, dawn’s breaking. Its lyrics, spoken and then sung. Treated music box chimes, and sampled seabirds accompanying GP’s warm, reassuring, echoed vocal. On the original mix, this moves to a squelchy synth-pop B-line. A beatless, but peacefully pulsing ambient version shifts the focus onto soothing synthesised celestial sighs, and vibes. The latter mirroring Laraaji’s electric zither. Assuming his Oicho alter ego, David then delivers a pair of pumping acid house reworks. The first is a bit of a proggy Sabresonic flashback. The second is slightly more stripped back, banging roots rock reggae up against raw Relief Records-esque Chicago jack.

NOTES

(1) Work Hard was released on the compilation, Atlas Earthed, put together by the London / Soho record store, Atlas, for Jumpin & Pumpin. Slated for release on one of Andrew Weatherall’s labels, a 10” promo also exists (I’ve only seen a photo – thank you The Flightpath Estate), and in 2020 David released the whole session digitally. 

David Harrow & Ghetto Priest’s Salutation can be ordered directly from Bandcamp.