Minor Science - Whities 004

Label: Whities

If you spend your days as a music critic, it can’t be easy to transition into the role of a producer and DJ. If you spend your life analysing the music of others, how are you supposed to edit your own? Angus Finlayson’s first outing as Minor Science, an EP on Trilogy Tapes, didn’t quite hit the mark except on the mind-melting Hapless, but for his sophomore release he’s really struck a solid note.

This slab’s out on Young Turks’ surprisingly good Whities sub-label, drawing out two confident hardware excursions that toe the line between house and techno. There’s a meandering, Actress-type quality to these tracks, but a melodic spontaneity and sure-footed drum work mean that the experimentation never dissolves the groove. Closing Acts is a very strong look, reigned over by a square bassline that struts rudely up and down the scales, adorned by cascading synthwork and the animal cries of otherworldly species. Glamour cuts the air with a starker machinedrum rhythm and more digitised squeals that sound like lives long lost in an infernal machine.

Finlayson’s soundfield may be decidedly synthetic but there’s an organic quality to how these melodies evolve, constantly subject to unexpected effects and abrupt left-turns. It means you can never get comfortable with these tunes, but that’s far from the point: this is heady, atmospheric dynamite just waiting to be wielded by the right hands.

7/10

May Roundup 2015

As ever, there's been more great music than we could possibly write about last month. The May roundup collects some of the best tunes that our radar has caught over the last few weeks. We start sketching some house and disco sketches figures, Nebraska's ace filter-disco, a lovely reissue of Vincent Floyd and some ace material on Text, Future Times and the intriguing new Uniile imprint. Darkness falls midway through the playlist, with Galcher Lustwerk's long-awaited Parlay, a lovely edit from Caribou as Daphni and two stellar cuts from J. Albert, who's got our trophy for the most exciting new artist this year. We end with some spaced-out trips courtesy of Nicolas Jaar, JMMF and Lifted, with Minor Science's dangerous bass flex accompanying the curtain fall.

Tracklist:

Paxton Fettel - Afloat on a Sea of Nothing feat. Takuya Matsumoto

Nebraska - Emotional Rescue

Unknown Artist - A Jazz Thing

Mosey - Tuff Times

Joe - Thinkin About

Vincent Floyd - Get Up

Creta Kano - Skyway Motel

Panama Brown - Theme From Panama Racing Club

Cherushii - Wild Abandon

Galcher Lustwerk - Parlay

Daphni - Usha

J. Albert - Kiss The Ground

J. Albert - Vertigo Contracto

Luca Lozano & Mr. Ho - Dripbox

JMMF - Paraesthesia

Nicolas Jaar - The three sides of Audrey and why she's all alone now

Lifted - Bell Slide

Farbror Resande Mac - Stockholmsnatt

Mark Barrott - Saviours Or Savages

Minor Science - Closing Acts