Slacker & georg-i
Brittle Forms
All Centre
Hailing from London and Bristol, respectively, Slacker and georg-i are two artists who thrive in the hard-to-define (albeit endlessly fertile) space between techno and the hardcore continuum. Foregoing allegiances to particular tempos and more or less refusing to adhere to formulas of any kind, these shapeshifters are perhaps most easily recognizable via their unwavering commitment to kinetic energy, an element that the title track of Brittle Forms has in abundance.
A two-song effort that also includes a remix by fellow UK producer Endless Mow, the record opens with a decisive bang. At its core, “Brittle Forms” is an irrepressibly peppy jungle tune, one that Slacker and georg-i have slathered in various shades of digital crunch and adorned with a rather infectious (and slightly distorted) synth riff. For all of the expert sound design on display, which includes an impressive array of freaky vocal snippets, it’s the duo’s decision to let that aforementioned synth riff take center stage that makes “Brittle Forms” really shine.
After all, when you stumble across a good earworm, it’s often best to simply get out of its way, right? That’s likely why Endless Mow has given that same melody a substantial role in his rework. At the same time, he’s also dunked that melody in thick pools of bass and halved the bpms, cruising along at the speed of trip-hop. A dancefloor-oriented number it is not, but the song’s glowing textures and slow-brewing luxury are highly rewarding in their own right.