- Before he was Matrixxman, Charles McCloud Duff was part of 5kinAndBone5, an adventurous production outfit probably best known for producing Le1f's hit "Wut." Duff's solo music errs on the classic side of house, which in 2014 might not sound like a provocative prospect. But Matrixxman tracks are attractively clean and simple, which is especially true on The XX Files Part II, one of a spate of early-2014 releases for the ascendant producer. This one shows just how powerful that sparsity can sound.
"Soul M8" is bouncy house with big room techno aesthetics (hint: reverb), until it melts into a G-funk reverie with shrieking strings. Cold marble textures define "Holographic," a collaboration with Vin Sol that has a similar backbone. It works its drum machines like they're in fitness class. Bearing some resemblance to "Erotic Discourse," the heavy "Jane Doe" sends a spindly melody up and down its contours, spasming and sparking all the while. Leap-frogging toms spur the track on, an exhaustive touch that lends it (and all his work, really) an unrelenting quality. Nevertheless, "Artificial Intelligence" tones it down with a dollop of reverb to accentuate its one insistent chord.
TracklistA1 Soul M8
A2 Holographic feat. Vin Sol
B1 Jane Doe
B2 Artificial Intelligence