iTAL tEK - Massive Error EP

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5...according to our Brett on Thu 30 Apr, 2009.

Ital is vital and Ital Tek is pretty desirable with his cool new five track 12" on Planet MUUUUU. I once squirted a friendly cow in the face with some water and it looked really upset, there's few things in life that I've regretted more - in fact it was a Massive Error (EP). That's a segue and half innit. I really liked his LP but I couldn't quite escape the feeling that he didn't quite have his own voice - it was like a combination of the dubstep types on the label, a bit of Distance's cold starkness, some of Boxcutter's electronica influence, a little of Vex'd aggression etc. etc. but I think he's definitely come into his own on this one, adding some dub techno sounds and elements from the better end of this 'wonky' thing (particularly on the Zomby-style third tune).. All sorts of elements combine for a inventive and varied release that entertains the ears and gets the head a bobbin' in fine style. Dubstep's been sounding a bit tired in recent months but this and the Jamie Vex'd 12" from a couple of weeks back show that Planet Mu are doing their best to keep things interesting. Highly recommended!

* Following on from his 2008 debut album ’Cyclical’ on Planet Mu, Alan Myson is back with more material at the crux of techno and dubstep. With constant gigs all over Europe and plays from Mary Anne Hobbs (Radio 1) it pretty much goes without saying that Alan has become a widely respected producer.

* ’Massive Error’ chucks you in at the deep end with a grime inflected bass, vocal detritus, electro fx reminiscent of Drexciya or Rustie and a slappy snare to keep it all anchored. ’Snowburst’ heads off on a journey of bleep and bass with whirling melodies; a slower groove brings us to our destination: an electro trip. ’Strange Love’, meanwhile, is a silky smooth laid back dub-cruise, like heading off into the sunset in ’Battle Out Run’ (Do you remember ’Battle Out Run’? It Fucking Ruled).

* On side B we find ’Octa’ whose restrained new-age pads and muffled piano riffs could usher in a new era of ’coffee-table dubstep’ if it weren’t for the insistent rim-shot and rude synths bubbling away in the background. In ’Ghost Cloud’, soft, sad melodies shimmer away over a dark skipping steppers beat and chords of bleeps cascade like waterfalls over the edge of his dark dub chasm. Nice.

* Tracklist: A: MASSIVE ERROR, SNOWBURST, STRANGE LOVE B: OCTA, GHOST CLOUD

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