Picks Of The Week (14.08.21

0. Ripple - Effect LP [Ripple LTD]

Recommended if you like: Subsonic, Notequal, Low:r

In case you missed it on friday, here's a quick reminder of the full-length album review we did for this excellent debut album by the Czech-Slovakian duo! TL;DR: it's great!

1. AL/SO - Toaster Bath EP [Korsakov Music]

Recommended if you like: Smooth, High Maintenance, Pendulum

Oh boy, here I go reviewing Korsakov stuff again!

If you've read any of my reviews, you probably know both the dutch label with a soft spot for the heaviest of the heavy Dancefloor tunes, Korsakov Music, and its A&R Manager Elmar van Eijk, who goes by his dancefloor destroying moniker AL/SO by night. Also by day probably, but that didn't sound as cool. Even though he's been making a lasting impact on dancefloors all over the world with some of his releases, Party Every Day comes to mind, he hasn't had a proper solo release ever since his first appearance as a producer in 2020. Until today! Well, until last friday technically, but you get me. Make way for the Toaster Bath EP!

When I first saw the release announcement, I was already internally debating if I should review this just for the amazing cover art. Luckily, the tracks that go along this masterpiece of an artwork are just as good if not better, so my internal debate was quickly settled!

Disclaimer: stupid me put the tracks in the wrong order when writing this. It actually starts with Cantankerous, since it's the first track AL/SO ever started! I deeply apologize for this enormous mistake in advance. Alright, now on to the review part:

This electrifying journey into the deep blue sea of your own bathtub begins with the title track, Toaster Bath! True to its title, it starts with someone turning on the tub's faucets and loads of water drops, with some lightning sound effects zapping around to sell the full image. There's even a suspiciously microwave-sounding toaster sound right at the start! If that isn't some perfectly fitting auditory storytelling for the current age, I don't know what is.

As the track amps itself further up, we hear some Audio-esque half frog half neuro wubs coming in closer and closer. For the drop, AL/SO unleashes the full force of the wubs unto the listener, to the backdrop of a heavy dancefloor rhythm that is as maniacal as it is energetic. Not only does the craziness of the drop further the storytelling even more, Elmar also threw in a few random screams for good measure too, sampled from the best source ever, Banjo Tooie. Don't ask me how, but he also managed to make random water splashing sounds fit the rest of the drop. Towards the end, the drop changes its crazed structure a little bit, now going for a way too catchy back and forth between the wubs and some relentless bass stabs, which is probably my favourite part of the track.

Next up, Cantankerous! Not going to lie, the first time I saw that track title I just assumed it's a random dutch insult. Well, I was close at least, it means "difficult or irritating to deal with". If this was a super negative review, one could say the fact the toaster bath didn't seem to have worked (the EP isn't over yet after all) is kind of irritating. For me it's mostly irrating that I can't think of anything else other than that.

Anyway. Cantankerous continues the heavy dancefloor vibes started in the title track: It's got a hype as hell minimalistic but hard-hitting intro, it's got a fundamentally consistent but ever evolving and also fun call-and-response during both drops, it's got some slappin' drums, it's a well-produced dancefloor banger through and through.

If you expect more of the same heavy dancefloor carnage on Brace Yourself, you will be disappointed. But also not really, because Brace Yourself is one hell of a tune that will make you quickly forget about any expectations you might have had before. You are not ready for this one. Together with regular collaborators Gid Sedgwick on the heavily rock-inspired vocals and Tom Vernon on the utterly amazing guitars, AL/SO really crafted a tune for the ages here.

Not even exaggerating, this track could easily fit into the ranks of the best of the best Celldweller/Qemist/Pendulum tracks. It's a whole-ass metal journey. The vocals range from cocky Rage Against The Machine type vocals, nearly venturing into Punk, sometimes going into Green Day territory during the more melodic parts of the vocal performance, sometimes even dipping into Screamo. And the guitar, holy shit. I try not to use swear words on these reviews too often, because oversaturing everything with them just isn't pretty to read in my opinion, but holy fucking shit. I don't know enough about the metal-adjacent genres to put into words what exactly is happening here, but what I can tell you is that I am absolutely loving the hell out of this. Just listen to it, you won't regret it. If you like rock-/metal-inspired DnB, you will love this.

There's still one more track to go though: Earthquake, a collaboration with the man that now calls himself HOLDEM. Contrary to what you'd expect, he's not from Texas, but Europe. Poker jokes, yay. That's all I'll say about this new anonymous alias right now, revealing his identity right at his first release doesn't quite feel right, you know? Anyway, this anonymous person and Elmar have cooked up some quite earthquake-causing dancefloor with this EP closer!

Full of elegantly flowing funky rhythms, drums that I can only describe as "slapping", and not to forget some screaming vocal samples, Earthquake is a track that will definitely cause some carnage on sound systems everywhere. Add in some beautifully dramatic buildups and a perfectly fitting half-time section in the second drop, and you've got one hell of a dancefloor experience!

In summary: Some very heavy dancefloor stompers and one insanely good metal-infused dnb anthem of a track! Definitely worth your time.

Other awesome dancefloor stuff from this week:

Bastion, Catching Cairo - Shapes 💎
Drax Project - All This Time (Lee Mvtthews Remix)
BLVCK CROWZ, Eskei83 - LIFT YOU UP
VovKING - Monolith / Collagen
CHEFF - Grim
DC Breaks - DCXV Remixes Pt. 2
Aktive - Touch