- Huerco S. last graced Proibito with the R.E.G.A.L.I.E.R. EP, an exploration of "the play between a drum machine and a 4 bar sample" under his Royal Crown Of Sweden alias. Both that release and Future Times 12-inch Apheleia's Theme showed the producer's crowd-pleasing side; beneath their gummed-up surfaces, loose-swung grooves and an excellent melodic sense was an alliance with New York house. By contrast, Huerco's latest, as H.S., buries its charms deeper. The wonderfully fluid structures of these four tracks owe more to techno, though the pillowthick kicks and quietly unstable rhythms betray Huerco's subversive streak. It's a move that works: A Verdigris Reader might be Huerco's most understated record to date, and it's undoubtedly one of his finest.
The A1 and B1 go for fractionally grander gestures: the former's traces of melody billow prettily outward in the breakdown, while the latter wallows in gorgeous shoegaze-y chords. The remaining two tracks have a nocturnal intensity reminiscent of Huerco's New Jersey neighbours DJ Qu and Joey Anderson. The A2 sports a hypnotic Qu-style shuffle and some delicate chord work; the B2's whacked-out synth line, meanwhile, could be one of Anderson's circuitous melodies. These similarities are only fleeting, though—as always, Huerco's muzzy sonics set him apart. With his debut album, Colonial Patterns, Huerco showed his range. Here he shows focus and discipline, qualities that suit him very well indeed.
TracklistA1 Untitled
A2 Untitled
B1 Untitled
B2 Untitled