22 April 2019

C.L.A.W.S - Slug Bait

The Squirrels On Film co-founder puts out their first EP on the San Francisco-based label. A retro bass arpeggio is the solid foundation for all manner of distorted bleeps and zaps. Acoustic toms and rim clicks nicely set off the otherwise electronic production. While this track is the highlight, the whole EP is and enjoyable mix of synthwave and industrial noise.

C.L.A.W.S - Slug Bait out now on Squirrels On Film [BUY]

Halo is the stand out track on the six-track Halo EP from Concret & Tyu, out now on Trafico Music. Concret are the Mexican/Italian duo Diego Angelico Escobar and Q-pha. Joining them is Tyu, a producer from Mexico whose 2015 brain-warping track Moto A is worth a spin.

In Halo, Concret & Tyu skillfully blend a dub techno vibe, polyrhythmic tuned percussion with shimmering pads. The track rides the line between simple and complex. It juggles half a dozen very different elements but never allows them to get overwhelming. I like the details; such as the marimba that is introduced playing a static pattern but then comes back after the breakdown in a triplet pattern that never quite resolves mirroring the bass line.

The remixes add a fresh take on the track but for me it's the original mix that shines.

Croncret & Tyu - Halo EP out now on Trafico Music [BUY]

Dissonant strings and ethereal male vocals over a dirty drone bass give make this track stand out. Slightly more melodic than the usual tracks on this site but still dirty enough to easily fit into a set. This is great ‘change of direction’ track to cue up the audience that things are moving on.

Originally out on BluFin in 2018 but now rereleased as part of a compilation Nobody Listens to Techno 7.

Vision of Tomorrow - I Follow You [BUY]