23.07.21
Words by:

Welcome back to Selections, a series of artist-curated playlists from those in the know.

96 Back is a Sheffield-born artist on the rise. That’s not to say that he’s a newcomer – what with a stack of prior releases on illustrious local imprint Central Processing Unit, or London-based labels like Hypercolour and Local Action. But, rather, he’s the type of musician whose sound elevates from one record to the next, strengthening in focus and scale as he crafts bittersweet dance music with nods to his hometown’s musical legacy, plus plenty more contemporary flourishes.

Take his recent releases: be it the woozy, 10-track record 9696 Dream, or his latest EP Flex Time, which landed on Local Action earlier this week. (Flex Time, alongside 9696 Dream, form part of a trilogy of releases due to be shared via the Tom Lea-helmed imprint this year.) Both succeed at highlighting what 96 Back’s all about and the routes he can take his productions in.

With that said, his Buy Music Club playlist showcases his intrigue into widescreen sound palettes and abstract UK club sounds. “I’d imagine listening to the tracks in this playlist on a Sunday morning, perhaps,” he tells Crack Magazine. “[If I was] feeling a bit turbulent and trying to decipher what my mood for the rest of the day will end up being.”

96 Back plays at No Bounds, 15-17 October 2021