By Brian Grimmett
The world of 140 is a strange place, in all the right ways. Nowhere can you find a style that can be fast and slow, noisy yet relaxed, and raucous yet deceptively minimal. Getting sucked into the 140 wormhole is a pleasure everyone needs to experience at least once, and theres nowhere better to start than with Infernal Sounds. This label is always bucking expectations, featuring output by a plethora of artists who constantly push that boundary: J Kenzo, DE-TU, Substrada, Mungk, Chief Kaya, and many more. The latest to grace the label is Grawinkel, an artist extremely adept at twisting and mutating sounds into his own unique vibe and vision. With the Oddy EP, this producer seriously cuts loose and takes us on quite the unusual trip.
“Algorythm” starts the release off with a hypnotic swagger that subtly increases in tension. As the off-key vocal sample “check” begins repeating, the choppy rhythm builds to a fever pitch with a bass wobble that shakes you deep down in your soul. Each layer is finely tuned and precisely crafted, twisting and shifting amongst each other with reckless abandon; combined with a lurching beat, this creates the earworm effect that defines this song. With its deceptively simple hook that grabs you instantly, this is a song you’ll get lost in again and again.
An infectious 8 bit motif starts out “Piston Eater,” with the click of a hat building the momentum. The command “Cut the midrange, drop the bass” is given, and the song catapults into the next dimension. WIth subs from the netherworld and winding blasts of bass noise dominating the soundscape, this is an intense tune that effortlessly sucks you into the middle of its world.. The complex world of atmospheres at play only add to this, creating a cavernous feeling that drags you deeper and deeper into the music.
With a crunchy snare to die for, “The Future” closes out the release in expert fashion. This song is a lumbering grind with hat shuffles, vocal shouts, and oddball FX swirling around each other endlessly; this all coalesces together into a bewildering soundscape that seems to be constantly mutating every facet of itself. With a short ambient break that builds on itself over and over, it releases a hard throbbing bass-line that defies the senses. With a staccato step feel carrying through to the end of the track, the fervor of the song never slows down and leaves you ready for more.
Grawinkel easily demonstrates why he is one to watch with this release, showcasing a fresh take on the genre that is as fun as it is boundary pushing. Out now on the Infernal Sounds Bandcamp and other major outlets, this is not a release to be slept on!
