Pev & Kowton - Signal 3 / Low Strobe

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  • Both together and alone, Peverelist and Kowton have proven themselves as forces to be reckoned with. And their hot streak, which stretches at least as far back as 2013's mind-rattling "Raw Code," shows no sign of letting up on the pair's first release of 2015. Signal 3 / Low Strobe presents two bleak and menacing techno transmissions. In many ways, these tracks aim to refine the duo's past successes by stripping them down to the essential parts. "Low Strobe" occasionally has a full synth line strewn over its jackhammer kicks, but even that feels more like a way of showing stark contrast than offering an actual melodic hook. Sub-frequency sleight of hand is the thrust behind "Signal 3." One moment there are double-time kicks pummeling against your head, but before you notice any shift that same pattern becomes a gut-vibrating bass drone. The percussion, which Pev & Kowton deploy sharply and effectively, keeps the tune club-appropriate. Their satisfying arrangement sways through jazzy hi-hats, crushed claps and distant sonar blips, whereas "Low Strobe" does away with all but tinny cymbals and some noxious, dubwise FX. Both tracks make quick work of filling any void with dark energy and suspense. For producers who obviously have a specific direction for their music, Pev & Kowton have no trouble showing their range in a narrow space.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Signal 3 B1 Low Strobe
RA