Maco Queen

dru-1's "preshuh" was composed in the artist's home of Trinidad during Carnival of 2024. Reflecting on the experiences and influences that shaped the record, UK-based artist Drew Lovett recalls inviting friends to stay with their family during the festivities, experiencing overproof rum, pan bands, card games, and doubles. Community and a celebration of sociality seem to shimmer through the EP's bass-ridden tracks, evident not-least in the prominent sound bites and vocals recorded on-site from those close to the artist during the Carnival.

The project unfolds across six tracks, each composition draped in FM synthesis and layered over gritty basslines. "preshuh" builds upon the

vision realized in the artist's debut project, a 4-track EP released on Why Be's Yegorka in 2024. This record punches with more technical precision, making a mature statement that feels cohesive and intentional, while retaining its playful essence. Lovett collaborates with Marta Rosa on percussion for the final three tracks—"maco queen," "palance," and "a4s."

Despite its moody basslines and clear roots in the UK club scene and Hard Drum, Lovett's EP is infused with a spirit of optimism and revelry. The EP opens with echoes of "toma!" and other indistinct cries, as timbale taps gradually build alongside jerky basslines in "diastema." The subsequent track "corbeaux," takes a more atmospheric approach, leaning further into lush melody progressions. Breath-like chirps fade in and out of the mix, allowing different melodic and percussive elements to shine at various moments. "Libido" calls the listeners to commune on the dancefloor, led by a steady four-on-the- floor rhythm. The hypnotic chant, "We come together," repeats with quiet assurance, woven through a backdrop of filtered basslines and dissonance. Crunchy, sputtering synths wind in and out of the soundscape, teasing a sense of chaos and rapture, grounded by the

steady rhythm beneath. In "maco queen," the record seems to reach a point of climax; jittering bass sounds overtake the atmosphere immediately. "Hey!" and "Ha!" shout over the flurries, punctuating the frenzy, while intricate low-end patterns and hand drums introduce moments of organic warmth. Percussive taps and clinks imagine an impromptu gathering of people jamming together. Here, Lovett seems to call us to let loose, to shout, to dance, to revel in excitement. The fifth track, "palance" unfolds over a steady four-on-the-floor rhythm, with intertwining synth lines that emerge and recede unpredictably, engaging in a dynamic interplay akin to an animated conversation among close friends. The EP concludes with "a4s," a vibrant, infused with Soca and Dembow breaks track that brings key elements from earlier songs—vocals, claps, and heavy basslines—crafting a dynamic yet cohesive finale.

Experienced in full, Lovett's EP is a call to togetherness—a sonic invitation to gather, move, and celebrate without restraint. Infused with the frenetic energy of the carnival where it was conceived, the project unapologetically embraces the dancefloor, urging bodies into motion, and spirits into communion. Beneath its pulsating rhythms lies

a deeper longing—not just for revelry, but for connection. In a world still relearning the rhythms of closeness, it asks: How do we rebuild the spaces where joy and community once thrived?