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ALTERED CIRCUITS

On his second EP for Altered Circuits, "Signal Drift", Jacopo Latini further distills his sound. Taking a more minimalist approach, he unreservedly focuses on groove. Still relying on his staple talent for weaving melodies and hooks, he delivers four trippy club tracks that show more can be done with less. Opener "Sharp" delivers immediate proof. After starting with a sequence of eerie sci-fi atmospherics and recondite vocoded vocals, the adding and subtracting happens so ingeniously, the track switches to club velocity 303 squelches and enhanced drum programming seamlessly. Similar techniques in building and layering are deployed on "Impulse", but this time, the shifts seem a tad more dramatic. The track revolves around an FM bass melody that's equally effective as it is simple, and its return to this stripped theme, surrounded by characteristic jittery hats, squashed claps, and little more frills, keeps the listener on his toes. A bass patch, its sustain knob turned wide open, somewhat buried in the mix, drives "Bright Sound" together with a heavily modulated formant mid lead. Deadpan vocals add icing, and slightly euphoric, phased chords bring in a touch of subtle contrast. Closer "Rave Harvey" is a rare diversion as it starts in medias res with chords that reconfigure nineties trance and a distinct bassline immediately going for the limelight. It also shows Latini switching up his palette, trading restraint for vigor, with a slab of direct, unfiltered hi-energy as a result.

TRACK LISTING

01 Sharp
02 Impulse
03 Bright Sound
04 Rave Harvey

For ALT015, we welcome the fabled DMX Krew for a second time. The Space Is Inside EP accurately reflects the artist's multiple decennia in the studio, shaping his aesthetics on the axis of electro, techno and synthpop. On Vicious Windows, a distinct lead pierces through the ominous, unison-drenched synths stabs and square waves. As the track progresses, we are kept on our toes by drum fills that sound like hydraulic valves releasing pressure and subtle detune slider fiddling. The hot and sweaty Bass box combines zap-like bass patterns with even more jittery synth work, while the titular woofer addresses us in a vocoder voice. Warm Places echoes Dutch West Coast, and although concise, sufficient melody and modulated drums are snuck in to immediately reveal the artist's hand. On Space Is Inside dark chords interplay with a wistful FM bass melody. Subtle bursts of synth sparkle keep everything rooted in silky melancholy. While the strings on Mental Disturbance are also gloomy, the lead is more frantic. The 303's modulation is constant, and slowly flanged snare drums try their best keeping it in line. Closer Tunnel Beneath Precinct 11 sure doesn't tone down either. The spooky, reverb-laden synth work collides with a dark, catchy bass, its cutoff and resonance knobs never left untouched. It closes down an EP of machine funk that covers a lot yet manages to shape into a satisfyingly cohesive arc.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Ed DMX - back on Altered Circuits again! Let's be honest, no-one alters circuits quite like Ed, so it makes total sense! Six tracks of fizzy technoid funk like only he can muster. TIP!

TRACK LISTING

01 Vicious Windows
02 Bass Box
03 Warm Places
04 Space Is Inside
05 Mental Disturbance
06 Tunnel Beneath Precinct


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