Pépé Bradock - Imbroglios 3

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  • When Pépé Bradock is at his best, he's hard not to love. Tracks like "Deep Burnt" and "Life" are among the greatest deep house tracks ever made. They're choc-full of emotionally stirring melodies, but they also have the kind of oddball production touches that reward repeated listening 15 years down the line. Increasingly, Bradock has indulged his weirder impulses. There was 2007's "Rhapsody In Pain," the first record to nail the sound of torture to a house beat. Then there was "Inconsequent Pussy," a track that seemed to feature a purring cat. Imbroglios 3 certainly sits in this experimental side of the French producer's catalogue. Two of the five tracks, "The Naked Shrink" and "Five Points," are freaky, disjointed soundscapes. "What's Wrong With The Picture?" is a wonky slice of half-step hip-hop that flits between lurching beats and hints of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill." "Men V Dust" could loosely be described as house, but the lack of a kick drum will deter all but the bravest DJs. The remaining two tracks get close to the blend of weirdness and urgency that's Bradock forte. "A Bunch of Cephalophores" layers a chorus of robotic voices in a way that's creepy, funky and inventive. "Dropping the Ball" is by far the EP's best cut. Mixing a shuffling house backing with muddy pads and unsettling vocal stabs, the record sounds like Moodymann in a particularly raw and menacing mood. (Annoyingly, it lasts only three minutes.) Imbroglios 3 isn't vintage Bradock, but it's still full of the character and inventiveness that has given him a peerless reputation in the world of left-of-centre house.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Men Vs Dust A2 A Bunch Of Cephalophores A3 The Naked Shrink B1 What's Wrong With The Picture? B2 Dropping The Ball B3 Five Points.....
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