- To the ungainly list of producers that includes Mosca, Roska, Rusko and Bosco Delrey, add one more: Boska. That's the nom de plume of Tromsø, Norway's Jon-Eirik Boska, who returns to Mental Overdrive's Love OD Communications after his 2011 debut. That record offered two tracks of bright, fleet techno that folded in influences from I:Cube and UK funky; this time, for the most part, he delves into deep, ruminative house that strikes a careful balance between swollen analog synths, overdriven drum machines and atmospheric vocal samples. In the current climate, that might not sound terribly original, and perhaps it's not, but Boska's music has plenty of character nevertheless.
"Lungt" is the EP's most immediate track, thanks to its sprightly melody line and a structure that switches up every few bars; it sounds a little like a lo-fi response to Floating Points or Nebraska. I:Cube's influence presents itself once more in "Moonsliders," with its twinkling, almost naïve keyboards and a rippling, rolling groove marked by crisp claps and distant woodblocks. "Without Love" evokes still deeper vibes, thanks to an omnipresent swirl of synthesizer pads; what sets it apart is the rough-hewn quality of the mix, particularly as it breaks down into a duet for bird-like chirps and thudding low toms. "Pictures," with a broken, 130 BPM rhythm, is the record's stylistic outlier. It's obviously related to the mellower end of the bass music spectrum, and a fine addition at that, but its diffuse sonics and idiosyncratic synth warble set it apart; it doesn't overplay its hand, and it doesn't overthink its place in the current musical climate. It sounds as much 2002 as it does 2012, which is actually something of a relief.
Tracklist A1 Without Love
A2 Moonsliders
B1 Lungt
B2 Pictures