785 - Mada Theory

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  • Whoever 785 is, his or her choice of alias doesn't draw attention to itself. On this debut release, for Ibadan's Apotek sublabel, 785's music operates in a similar sort of stealth mode. Both tracks are techno at its most stone-faced: there's no melodic calling card, no obvious hook to hang the artist's hat on. Just shuffling drums, steely accents and oodles of echo. But listen closely—or, better still, listen loud—and both tracks exhibit an exceptional degree of control and, in their rough-hewn way, polish. "Mada Theory" borrows its long arc and metallic flash from the Radio Slave playbook, but it has just enough rhythmic detail in the background to keep it from seeming too static. Best of all is the way it breathes, thanks to a slowly swelling background chord that reminds me, however improbably, of The Smiths' "Meat Is Murder." "East Bo" is grimmer and more polluted, with the highs sanded down and the bass register murky and roiled. But there's enough energy in the gurgling bird call of its muted main riff to carry the track through its grudging paces—and to spark a flash of recognition the next time you hear it.
  • Tracklist
      A Mada Theory B East Box
RA