Red Snapper co-founders Ali Friend and Richard Thair reconvene their Number side-project and release a second single from their recent album Pollinate. The original of Amber uses cowbell, handclaps and a slapped bass-line to build an uber Balearic, bouncing, bumping shot of low-riding funk. A mellow, mid tempo shuffler, it’s far more laid-back than the pair’s Snapper stuff. There are tasteful touches of synthesised oriental, Ryuichi Sakamoto timbres and tumbling mechanical marimba tones. Instrumentally the tune sounds like something talented young upstarts Good Block would make. Friend’s vocals, however, lend the production a classic post-punk feel. Number themselves cite A Certain Ratio as a big influence, and something about the song also says “Happy Mondays”. Factory Records’ soul boys. The rhythm guitar that hits halfway through is very Johnny Marr. Not The Smiths but Stex and Electronic.  

Number and ACR have actually been engaged in a respectful remix-tit-for-tat since 2020’s Wedge and here the legendary Mancunians, again, work their musical magic. Donald Johnson’s tough trap drumming rocking like DJ Shadow looping a B-boy break. Jez Kerr’s bass is brilliantly boisterous. Martin Moscrop’s chops adding strings, spiralling sound effects and backwards spinning bits. 

The promo’d bonus track, Stonechat, is a bottom-end led groove. A stuttered beat coloured by techno textures and squelchy noises. Recalling the sort of dubbed-out future jazz-funk that Andrew Weatherall would play on the wireless during the mid-90s. 

Number’s Amber and Pollinate, plus their remix packages, can be ordered directly from Ramrock Red.