- After a busy 2014, this year has so far been much quieter for the Turin/Berlin-based Gang Of Ducks, their self-described "HandmadeCyberSpiritualPunkSci-Lo-Fi" output limited to an EP from Sabla and an album from XIII. Brooklyn's Daniel Martin-McCormick, AKA Ital, appeared as a remixer on that Sabla record, and here he makes his full debut on the label.
The first three tracks on Toxic Work Environment are among the most floor-ready material Gang Of Ducks has released. The title track, "Syndrome" and "Canker Sore" all clock in around the 130 BPM mark and will fit well into dark techno sets, albeit ones in dank warehouses rather than festival marquees. Each is an effective exercise in crescendo-building, with "Syndrome" standing out in particular thanks to its fevered arps and industrial clank.
"The Citadel"—a beatless ambient flow of soft keys and whispered voices that would have fit well on Martin-McCormick's excellent Endgame LP from last year—is a sudden but pleasant change of pace. Gang Of Ducks themselves finish up with a remix of "The Citadel." It bears little resemblance to the original, but its murky growl and scattered beats add another dimension to the EP.
TracklistA1 Syndrome
A2 Toxic Work Environment
B1 Canker Sore
B2 The Citadel
B3 The Citadel (GOD Rework)