Review: Aussie Kane Dignum aka Little Fritter has been a regular on the electronic music circuit for more than a decade. Having had his first release back in 2008, the Gold Coast mainstay has released on labels as diverse as Affin, Catwash and One Records to name but a few. He's really hit the big time now, if this release on Hot Creations is anything to go by. There's echo drenched dancehall sound system vibes abound on the fittingly titled "Dub Riddem", while "Puff Puff" goes for a wonky boompty-boomp kind of vibe that's perfect for getting weird at the afterhours. He ends things on a sweltering tribal tip with the hypnotic polyrhythms of "How Lucky Should We Feel?".
Review: Tsuba bossman Kevin Griffiths has assembled an impressive quartet of talents on this fifth and final edition of the label's well-regarded Last of the Samurai series of EPs. Klasse chief Luca Lozano kicks things off with "Crucificks", a curious and slightly eccentric fusion of winding melodies and heavyweight 303 work that builds to a rough, acid-flecked climax. Cardiff-based Bristolian Owain K goes deep and techy on the basement-ready "Flush", which is reminiscent of his excellent work with Jamie Anderson for Dessous. Nil By Mouth go cowbell crazy on their swinging, loose-limbed tribute to wonky New York alt-disco, "Lumbar", before Little Fritter draws things to a close with the groovy and driving "Fifth Avenue Funk".
Review: This compilation spans a range of sounds, but is testament to the fact that despite its diversity, Affin has always been a byword for quality underground dance music. From the stepping, understated "Minus One" by Truncate to the woodwind-led house of "Stalking You" by James Hunter and the gorgeous, jazzy, filtered groove of Jamal Moulay's "Le Push", 100 does a lot to showcase the label's penchant for deep dance music. Joachim Spieth's "Sensual" boasts hypnotic Basic Channel-style chords, but the beats are tougher and denser. Reggy Van Oers's "Centipede" veers further down this chord-driven, dubby techno path and Affin also celebrates the harder end of techno with the utilitarian, Berghain-influenced linear sound of Chemie & Ian Kran's "Nucleated Thought".
