When not working with his cofounder on their collective/label Robot Records, Long Beach local Sam Casucci is busy making beats of his own under his aptly named project I AM ROBOT. This month will see the release of his first original production since dropping a seven-track extended play back in March. However, we did see an IAR remix drop in May of “Want U Bad” by Robot Records artist rrotik, who will now be returning the favor. I AM ROBOT’s new track “Ambush ‘Dem” will be premiering on Nest HQ tomorrow along with rrotik’s remix, as well as a remix by artist Ray Volpe.
Upon listening to I AM ROBOT’s new release, it seems the track has set out to do exactly as it states – ambush the listener with a flurry of hybrid sound and midtempo grooves. The introductory melody puts one in the setting of a middle eastern bazaar, coaxing the listener into drawing a little closer before unleashing the assault. The drop’s dirty bass line ostinatos work together with heavy 808s to surely make you want to “put your hands up.”
Rrotik’s remix takes a notably different approach from IAR’s original arrangement. With a four-to-the-floor beat, the remix hangs its BPM in the 120s. The song’s prominent bass line delivers a surefire head-bobbing groove, certain to keep you moving until the last second.
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Though Ray Volpe coincidentally stayed in the same BPM range as his fellow remixer, it seems he sought to provide a remix on the opposite end of the groove spectrum. Staying true to the 808 heavy nature of the original, Volpe delivers a go-hard trap tune that answers any questions you might have about the quality of the track - “it’s fucking lit as fuck.”