Sunday, September 13, 2009

Cyclic Defrost Magazine

Cyclic Defrost Magazine

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Equinox – Vivid Dreams (Planet Mu)

Posted: 13 Sep 2009 03:20 AM PDT

Equinox

21 year old London-based producer Equinox (real name Marlon Sterling) was introduced to that city’s hardcore and drum and bass scenes early on thanks to his uncles, and from these auspicious beginnings he’s managed to accumulate a substantial reputation on the dnb scene, forming links with Bizzy B, founding his own Inperspective label and going to remix the likes of Photek and DJ Crystl. In the wake of appearances on Planet Mu’s ‘200′ and ‘Sacred Symbols Of Mu’ compilations, this latest 12" sees Equinox offering up two Amen break-loaded tracks that certainly pay homage to classic mid-nineties junglist styles. On the A-side of this 12", ‘Vivid Dreams’ plays the spooky darkside card, sending an eerie dubbed-out female whisper floating seductively over a rattling backdrop of ‘Amen’ breaks that could almost pass for Photek circa ‘The Hidden Camera’, shortly before things lock down into junglist dub pressure amidst rippling electronic effects, juddering sub-bass rumbles and fussilades of liquid-dnb snare programming that pack a slight breakcore edge. On the flip, ‘Make You Flex’ comes a little more out of its shell by comparison, opting for soulful Detroit-tinged synth pad atmospheres and hard-headed breakbeats that almost recall Omni Trio. While it’s certainly a more extrovert offering, the hypnotically looped sample of a woman singing "there’s something going round inside my head" still shows Sterling tweaking a sense of underlying paranoia at the very edges, to strong effect. Those looking for a dip back into classic junglist styles should be well pleased.

Chris Downton

Pinch – Attack Of The Giant Killer Robot Spiders (Planet Mu)

Posted: 13 Sep 2009 03:20 AM PDT

Pinch

Bristol-based DJ / producer Pinch (real name Robert Ellis) has grown to become of one of the dubstep genre’s most influential figures over the past few years, releasing a prolific stream of vinyl on his Tectonic label, as well as his own acclaimed 2007 debut artist album ‘Underwater Dancehall.’ In the wake of his preceding ‘Midnight Oil / Joyride’ release on Tectonic, this latest creepily-titled 12" on Planet Mu sees Ellis offering up two tracks that showcase markedly different sides to his personality. On the A-side, ‘Attack Of The Giant Killer Robot Spiders’ certainly manages to live up to the promise of its title, the skittering broken rhythms calling to mind the relentless creep of tiny metallic spiders as it stutters and tics its way through an eerie, wafting backdrop of near-ambient Middle Eastern tinged synths and ominous rumbling sub-bass presence. On the flip, ‘Teleportation’ aims proceedings distinctly more towards the dancefloor, fusing a female sci-fi sample intoning the title phrase with the sort of dramatic sweeping crash you might expect on a horror movie score, shortly before things lock straight down into tight, rippling electro synth flourishes and a rhythmic backbone constructed around tree trunk thick Amen breaks. Once again, Pinch manages to show why he’s one of the dubstep genre’s most touted names, with two divergent moments aimed towards the headphones and body respectively.

Chris Downton

at 5:07 PM