- In his NTS radio show a few months back, Mosca referred to the sound coming from the Will & Ink camp (Yaleesa Hall included) as "not feel good techno but that kind of techno… you can't not dance to." Not the "scary" or "battering" kind, as the Londoner otherwise likened it to, but something friendlier and more upbeat. It seemed like a fair assessment. On Leyland, Yaleesa Hall debuted three club-ready tracks that shimmered and skipped about in dubby chords and textures. It was more swinging than anything else, which makes it easy to see why it got the thumbs up from Mosca.
Perrin doesn't exactly reach pummelling status, but things have gotten a bit swarthy and straighter. As Hall creeps ever closer to solid, chugging techno, there's still plenty of bounce and weirdness to keep things from getting too "scary." Take "Fourth Perrin": the elastic bassline and broken horn melody keep its charged hi-hats and brewing peril largely at bay. "Third Perrin" could be the standout, purely for its ability to melt into a melee of syncopation and build itself back up without causing too much confusion. The thing is, it's fun—just keep loose and be ready to go with it.
Techno can definitely take itself way too seriously, but Hall and the Will & Ink crew are showing it doesn't have to. Much like the neon and ice cream colours that dress its seven releases to date, this label is keen on keeping things bright and playful in a dour, all-too-dark arena.
TracklistA1 First Perrin
A2 Second Perrin
B1 Third Perrin
B2 Fourth Perrin