- Terriers, the Irish duo of Peter Ward and Ronan Downing, are 25 and 24 respectively, but they've crafted a sound that's remarkably mature. Second Labour Of Hercules, their second release on Major Problems Records following their debut EP on the same label, is three house tracks comprised of small, efficient moving parts. That much could be said of many records, but what sets this one apart is these details seem to lose themselves in each other, working less like an engine than a body of viscous fluid.
"Second Labour Of Hercules" streams forward in this way. Its spring-loaded toms and fanning hi-hats are wrapped in thick, dreamy synths and a humid ambient hum. About three-quarters in, an aqueous melody breaks the surface, its notes popping like bubbles. The song's intricate layers of detail wrap around "Second Labour Of Hercules"'s core like a scaffold—everything has a reason to be there. "Aqua On My Mind," oddly enough, sounds a little drier. Its hi-hats, which puff and hiss like steam pipes, gently stir a serrated acid loop into life. Ward and Downing wisely stop short of going big, letting the track rasp gently instead. The 303 bassline on "Galactic Jack" is even more delicate, but it carries the duo's luxurious textures with the effortless strength of the record's namesake.
TracklistA1 Second Labour
B1 Galactic Jack
B2 Aqua On My Mind