Having appeared a few times in various iterations on Lockt’s 1Forty label, highly prolific producer Burt Cope returns to the Leeds-based outfit for his new single—and third drop of the year—“I Swear”. This one sees him connect with long-serving friend of the label, Lyrical Strally, and South East London-based singer Amber Elena, who makes her debut on the label.
Melodic and bumpy in equal measure, the push and pull between Amber’s fluttering vocals and Stray’s grab-your-girl rhymes feel like a reflection of Cope’s beat. Light-footed and bubbly for the most part, there’s a meaty thump that rears its head occasionally, even straying into a junglist, Amen-heavy breakbeat towards the end.
Lockt’s 1Forty lot have always had a hand in garage—just as much as grime and funky—but with the winning combo of the sweet melodies and dancefloor-ready heft, they could be looking at another hit like “Levelz 2 Dis”.
