Black Chow - Wonderland EP

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

5...according to our Ant on Fri 08 Apr, 2011.

What a treat to have this EP drop just after witnessing an earth shaking set from King Midas Sound in Leeds this weekend (Big up guys if you're reading!) This is the duo of Kevin "The Bug" Martin and Kiki Hitomi of KMS and it's a belter. Martin unleashes a heavy, stoned dubbed-out dancehall/hip-hop hybrid of a rhythm with Hitomi grabbing the mike and spitting in an ethereal, righteous style. All these spaced-out effects are expertly deployed on 'Wonderland'. 'Signs' is backed by a similar rhythm and guest MC Pupajim toasting inna zoned-out Anthony "Redrose" style. A cracking tune that's both very earthy and futuristic. Prime future-dread action that fans of The Bug and KMS will absorb with much pleasure. 'Wonderland Version" rolls out with the bassline further at the fore for maximum weight. This will hit the spot through a big system at 3AM. 'Danger' is a crushing apocalyptic trip-hop/dub hybrid, full of lurking paranoia, bleeps and a seriously gnarly, gritty bass plus Hitomi's vocal saturated in reverb and delay for full celestial effect. The obligatory 'Danger Version' is another killer with 8-bit Jahtari style bleeps sealing the deal. A total stormer and highly recommended.

A spine-crunching and nerve-scorching 12” by Black Chow, the not-from-this-planet side project of Kevin "The Bug" Martin (King Midas Sound, Techno Animal) and Kiki Hitomi (KMS, Dokkebi Q), extending the intense echo-dripping vibe of their killer track ‘Wonderland’ from the ‘Jahtarian Dubbers Vol. 2’ compilation into a whole EP. Following the haunting Japanese original on side A is Pupajim's ‘Signs’ re-version, with its tsunami-powered vocal style, turning the riddim into something that can only be described as a bass opera - utterly unique, totally addictive and absolutely unheard of so far. A deadly and stripped-to-the-bone dub version adds further impact pressure. Flipside ‘Danger’ lives up to the name, as Casio-driven 8-bit loops run through an echo chamber calibrated to sonic warfare weapons testing range, with Kiki Hitomi on the spaceship intercom. Meanwhile, the dub version displays Large Hadron Collider tendencies as it threatens to create a black hole in your neighbourhood, so dense is the gravity at it’s core. Five tracks of bomb shelter bass music, beamed down from space in amazing sleeve artwork by Kiki Hitomi.