By This article previously appeared on Crossfader
Bandcamp Picks of the Week, as large as in charge as ever
Machine Girl – WLFGRL
Genre: Hardcore Breaks, UK Bass
Favorite Tracks: “Ionic Funk,” “Ginger Claps,” “覆面調査員,” “Out by 16, Dead on the Scene”
The album cover for Machine Girl’s explosive 2014 release, WLFGRL, immaculately reflects the spastic and extremely aggressive grimey electronic album contained within. There isn’t much breathing room on this project, with back-to-back, over-the-top tracks that hammer the listener, and it is a downright joy. The energy kicks in immediately out of the gate with the second track, “Ionic Funk,” where intense synth leads assail the listener. With the chopped and chipper vocal samples working in conjunction with the dense and pristine production, it sounds like it could have come straight off of a more Flatlander-centric Death Grips project. It is a pure adrenaline rush with a runtime of 4:34, yet it never feels like it overstays its welcome with the deeply layered and experimental beats. Another downright fantastic track in the listing is the cut “Out by 16, Dead on the Scene,” with its heavy drum looping and sampling making it feel like a long lost NAH track. It is a much slower build, yet the payoff by the end is well worth the wait. Throughout the runtime, Machine Girl flawlessly cuts and distorts the backing drum loop to create a sense of something foreboding, leaving the listener on the edge of their seat. The experimental nature of this project is ever present, like on the heavily footwork-inspired track “Ginger Claps,” with its overpowering production and rhythmic patterns creating a savage and animalistic tone that’s still perfectly danceable. For anyone with a love for spastic and immaculately crafted experimental electronica, WLFGRL is bound to deliver. Check out WLFGRL here. [Will Turmon]
OOHYO – ADVENTURE
Genre: K-Pop, synthpop
Favorite Tracks: “School Bus,” “K-Drama,” “Seaside”
It’s definitely rare to come across a collection of songs that simultaneously feels like it belongs in a Super Mario Brothers game while also being fulfilling in the scope of listening. On ADVENTURE, OOHYO does captures both those entities with an ease and calming presence. The synthpop musician’s first full-length provides an easy listening experience equipped with a wide variety of well-crafted layers that caused me to doubt that this was even a K-Pop record at all. “K-Drama” has upbeat synths tied in with a minor chord progression which combine to form a conflicting sound that ends up meshing in just the right way, with OOHYO’s vocals on the track being beyond mesmerizing. The South Korean artist takes a completely different approach with “Seaside,” which begins to sound like a Rihanna and Kendrick track in a parallel K-Pop universe, OOHYO singing the hook and rapper The Quiett taking a verse. The verse fits like a puzzle piece over the music, which leads me to question whether the Korean language is a better fit for rap music in general. The production on the two previously mentioned tracks, as well as the other nine, is impeccably smooth and innovative, with most songs being based around synthesizers. If you’re interested in experiencing a completely new angle of K-Pop, check ADVENTURE out here. [Emmett Garvey]
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