- Is anyone actually listening to Minus anymore? Or are we just content to make fun of them blindly, and leave it at that? Those choosing to remain secure in the knowledge that nothing good could come from something Richie Hawtin's hands any longer are missing out. JPLS's masterful album from late last year was hugely underrated, while the imprint's singles in 2010 have reflected the fruits of the post-minimal landscape that each artist on the label is trying to traverse.
Ambivalent's response to all of this is baby steps. "Rumors" plays with minimal techno techniques, but its vocal tics—which resemble how its title can twist the innocuous—help it stand apart. So does it liquid bassline. "Bumble," meanwhile, sounds like classic-era Perlon, a polished bit of mind-melting techno that clocks in at a more 2010-friendly tempo: 122 BPM. "Filler" may sound a bit like what its title suggests, a simple beat worked out for six minutes for no particular reason. But "Backbiter" redeems it, as it's full of the sort of personality—drops, synthesized grunts, a freaky aqueous lead line—that "Filler" lacks. Last but certainly not least is "Dunk," which takes the watery theme and extends it further into highly musical territory, wherein Ambivalent showcases his tech house side to fascinating effect. Listen closely to this one, you may be surprised.
Tracklist 01. Rumors
02. Bumble
03. Filler
04. Backbiter
Digital: Dunk