- Fresh off his Indo EP for Skudge, Aardvarck is back with two more sludgy, overdriven basement bangers. "Nubian," like the best of Aardvarck's work, is an exercise in wreaking maximum mayhem out of the fewest possible elements. The hard-charging groove strikes a balance between crisp, staccato machine programming and a distorted rumble, provenance unknown; a loop of Hitchcock-caliber strings provides the only tonal element to speak of. Instead of sounding austere, though, the whole thing is swollen, fuzzy, ready to burst, and its manic energy is pushed over the top by a repeated cry of "Nubian!" that's run through a disorienting echo chamber, sounding like a fusion of The Harder They Come and Mad Max.
"Pig Todd U So" is faster, around 132 BPM, and more haywire, with a broken rhythm heavy on dirty hi-hats and snares; the kick drum lunges all over the grid, as though allergic to the downbeat. Synths and samples face off in an uneasy showdown, as organs and dubby techno stabs tangle with YouTubed string pads and "Planet Rock" growls. It's as messy as it is tough, and all the more exhilarating for it.
TracklistA Nubian
B Pigg Todd U So