“When it rains it pours.” The old Irish summertime saying can certainly be applied to Junq. Following almost five years of silence the British artist releases two 12”s in the space of six months with more musical treats in store.
Following his recent outing on Furthur Electronix, Junq is crossing over to Revoke for an EP that utilizes elements of his trademark machine funk sound alongside some Detroit currents. “X Ray Experiments” cracks percussion paths, blurring them with layers of static and rinsing bass. Hovering over this assortment float concentric circles of dubby depths, melodies that soak up and equalize those skittering shapes below. “Michelangelo” cleans up these rhythms, sweeping them away to replace them with a stern and steady snare. Those same lofty keys as a multi-layered track unfurls. In many ways, the warmth and shifts employed in these two tracks resemble techno much more than electro, marking a change for this British musician best known for his colder cuts. For anyone hoping for a frostier fix, look no further than the title piece. Occupying the A-Side, this eight minute work inflates and deflates sour globules of sound, allowing these bitter bubbles to expand and retract against a thin and piercing snare drum in a meandering work of parred back purity.
Junq has been characterized as a purveyor of “electro,” but this latest EP doesn’t comfortably sit on that particularly shelf. Not only has the Englishman explored acid and electro with Just Get On With It, but he has also ventured into the realms of past influences and new inspirations. This 12” feels like the beginning of a redefinition, of Junq realigning himself as an artist of diffuse and diverse styles and doing so with an accomplished confidence and some serious music to back him up. Amazing what can happen in six months, no?
Just Get On With It is available on Revoke.
