BLE-EP2 slices through a myriad of explosive tectonic rhythms as the label launches itself as one of the best in the field of bleeped madness.
Old-school bleep-blistered mayhem
Without trying to repeat what we’ve said before, Yellow Machines continue to refine old-school bleep-blistered mayhem; punctuating the genre with a surplus of ideas bouncing back and forth from the past and into the now. Their BLE-EP series established momentum mid 2021, described as “six robust and robotic rhythms catapulting itself into extraterrestrial terrain,” and their second edition finds itself in a parallel trajectory with additional 90s era bleep-bass-techno courtesy of Bohm opening with “Trouble,” a beautifully choreographed slice of nostalgia.
“Digicality” by Unique 3 sheds its overflow of off-center computer sounds and glitched lava flows in a foray of Warp-era Artificial Intelligence tropes we love. “Body Popper,” by the talented Neil Landstrumm, provides glitchy breaks and melodic pulsars looping their way through Altern 8 suffused heavy low-end rave rhythms. Scanone’s ultra thick breakbeat-techno groove on “Gift of Life” is an absolute gem—the staccato drums, familiar samples, and refined power is simply baffling—catapulting the EP to our top releases of 2023. And we’re not even done yet!
The subdued and bubbling synth tones of “Information Society” by Controlled Weirdness eventually opens into wide-angle breaks as shuffling sirens find their place in the drum avalanche and synth-heavy mood. BLE-EP2 is anchored by none other than Meat Beat Manifesto with “Destroy Dub” where fidgeting electro beat shuffling and a swirling maze of mechanical dub echoes shatter and eventually implode in this tantalizing closure. BLE-EP2 slices through a myriad of explosive tectonic rhythms as the label launches itself as one of the best in the field of bleeped madness.
BLE-EP2 is available on Yellow Machines. [Bandcamp]
