With Mike Paradinas currently based in the outskirts of Chicago on a scouting mission for the latest juke producers, fledgling London label Pictures Music have sidled in and sweet talked the label’s production virtuouso Rudi Zygadlo into releasing a one-off 12″ with them.

Entitled Achtung, the four track EP was released yesterday and sees the exotically named Zygadlo draw further on the unique brand of electronic music first evidenced on his debut LP – last year’s Great Western Laymen. Scattergun rhythmic directions, intricate instrumentation, neon tinged synth lines and multi-layered vocal harmonies are all present and correct. Furthermore, Achtung draws a nice line between Zygadlo’s quieter sonic leanings which fill out the A Side and a more beat-driven side on the flip, with the excellent shuddering 4/4 flex of the title track and the expansive bass shimmers of “The Deaf School”.

All this is in advance of Rudi’s second album for the Planet Mu imprint, which is currently in something akin to a rich vein of form thanks to some excellent LPs this year from Machinedrum, Chrissy Murderbot, Rashad, Boxcutter and Falty DL – which will soon be joined by the equally good Kuedo and Tropics long players! Hence we thought it would be interesting to see which tracks from the label’s lengthy back catalogue resonated most with one if its most promising talents.

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