Ducking the hype and doubling down on heavyweight, functional grooves, Dungeon Meat’s Slabs imprint – run by Brawther and Tristan da Cunha – returns with another no-frills slab of dancefloor pressure – this time courtesy of rising Dutch producer Job de Jong. Known for its stripped-back, unpretentious aesthetic, Slabs has fast become a safe haven for DJs who prefer their House with grit under the fingernails and dub in its DNA. Job de Jong fits right in.
The A-side cut “Like This” is deceptively simple in its arrangement, but the details reveal a producer who knows how to weaponize space. The track gathers cues from UK Garage swing, dubwise vocal snippets, and Deep House kicks, all cloaked in an airy, reverberant atmosphere that’s as physical as it is spacious. It’s the kind of tune that won’t demand attention – but will suddenly have an entire room bouncing in unison without quite knowing how they got there. A proper soundsystem mover with just enough funk to seduce, never shout.
On the flip, “MB” shifts the focus slightly: more garage than house, more warmth than menace. Dusty drums rotate through a loopy, windblown groove, snares fluttering like loose tarpaulin. A swollen organ bassline pulses beneath sun-drenched pads, lending the track a kind of off-peak radiance – neon hues glowing through a fogged lens. It’s one for sun-up dancers and afterhour selectors, grooving gently but landing with intent.
Job de Jong’s “Like This” EP speak volumes without raising their voice. Job de Jong joins the Slabs roster not by chance but by alignment – delivering deep cuts that whisper to the heads and move the feet. It’s House music with patience, pressure and poise.
Words by Holger Breuer
Torture the Artist 