Maddslinky – Compuphonic

Label: Broadwalk

In a scene where there are too many next-big-things to count, and where the teenage upstart always bears the brunt of internet hype, it’s refreshing to know that there are a few producers who have been doing it for a long time in style and show no sign of slowing down. The consistently on-point Zed Bias made his name pushing the boundaries of London’s 2step sound over ten years ago, and much like sometime-label mate Boddika, has shown a strong ability to move with the times and carve out the future of dance music more than a decade after he started.

Compuphonic

So it is that Bias, aka Dave Jones, resurrects his bouncier Maddslinky alias to offer the second release on Julio Bashmore’s nascent Broadwalk imprint, whose first release you might remember hearing at every club everywhere this summer. Compuphonic is an unusually straight track for Jones in terms of percussion, with a simple 4/4 paving the way for moody synthwork in the intro.  Don’t get fooled though, this track uses simplicity to its advantage, with a huge three-note bassline dominating the sound, along with ravey vocal cries and bright synth bleeps adding texture. It’s hard to listen to without moving, and I’ve already heard this one set the crowds to boiling at festivals across the summer.

On the flipside Compufonique (Part Deux) is an (apparently French) rework of the A-side that adds iridescent synths and brighter melodic accents particularly towards the close, but remains largely the same as the original. It’s hard to criticize Maddslinky for a lack of variation here when he so clearly knows what he’s doing; both tracks are undeniable stormers that are sure to light up dancefloors for the rest of the year. And with another, much darker, release out on Digital Soundboy this week, let’s just hope no one asks him to slow down.

8/10