A double delight for those partial to a Smoke as the mighty Berlin label unleash two EPs by Glasgow’s wonderkid within a week of each other. Alex was one of the most impressive talents to rise last year and puts the lid on it here as he concentrates on the subterranean brand of future-funked, glitched and unhinged techno that made his name. ‘The ‘Shwingnut’ EP takes to the submarine with ‘Serious Little Plague’. Frogs fart as archaic machinery clicks, whirrs and clonks. It’s a lengthy run, later ushering in haunting strings and wanking gophers but never forgetting the underlying mission to dance. ‘What Can I Say’ plunges a ten-foot grasshopper into the chemical toilet before emotional strings appear, before ‘Wingnut’ goes out clanking, static-slashed and pebble-dashed. The ‘Shminimal’ EP starts with the unashamed bass-monster that is ‘Titti’. Low, resonant with vaguely classical counter-riffs. ‘TV Is Pish’ is another vicious cheesegrater-to-the-scrotum bucket-fart fizz-up. ‘Slippers & Slappers’ spits trouser-snake blood on its grunting path. There is no-one operating near Alex Smoke. What will he do next? It sure is fun finding out.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: KRIS NEEDS
