A 12″ which builds on past successes and opens new avenues.
Nation founded Jakbeat. Well, its foundations were laid down by the godfathers of Chicago but the caustic aggression of Jak came from Nation and Crème Organization with Traxx, J.T.C. and D’Marc Cantu tearing out this corrosive sound. But of late that coarse and raw House incarnation has begun to take a backseat for D’Marc Cantu. Some of that fierceness was on show with the 1210A EP but much of it has been ironed away with new avenues in electronics being explored. This departure can be seen in the Ann Arbour artist’s latest for Barcelona based Shaddock Records.
The rasp and rattle of previous releases is muted. Fuzz and squawk have been replaced by mellowness. This is seen from the outset, the lulling and tempered “Point of Fracture” introducing a rounded and tactile sound. The smoother edge of this Chicago musician is on display. At time tracks border into Electronica, the lightness and lilting “Psychotronics” being a prime example. Percussion is patted down and played with. The brutalised beats of past pieces are missing, instead harmony takes the floor. Darker chords rise for “STS”, hats biting against staggered toms. But this weight is short-lived as fragile notes shadow. The title track is the club closer. Acid lines bend and loop as a clean 4/4 pattern supports a meandering melody.
Zone 4 is of a different ilk. Former harshness is softened, but not totally subtracted. The EP sees the US artist toying with new parameters, sliding in lesser tested styles to bring a new side to his sound. An EP that might have some fans scratching their heads, but shouldn’t. A 12″ which builds on past successes and opens new avenues.
Zone 4 is available on Shaddock.
