- Pinch focussed on collaborations last year, tending to ongoing projects with Mumdance and Adrian Sherwood. This single marks a return to solo work, and it's a dramatic one. The dubstep pioneer's migration to lower tempos had a note of reluctance to it, and he hasn't always slipped easily into the 4/4 groove. "Screamer," which thunders forth with the apocalyptic swagger of bassline house, suffers from no such problem. Paired with the voice of Riko Dan, warring to be heard over massive, subzero synth blasts, the effect is like an arctic inverse of late '00s chart grime (think "Bonkers" and "Wearing My Rolex"). Pinch's music has always been heavy with dread, but it's rarely sounded so fun to boot.
The B-side returns to the scene of past crimes. The glittering steel surfaces and ruptured rhythms of "No Justice" echo previous Mumdance collaborations; on his own, Pinch ventures deeper into dub space. Aiming for angularity, the pair's tracks sometimes end up plain disjointed, but this one has a pleasingly supple sway. Making your bassline sound like an armoury of misfiring laser pistols doesn't hurt either.
TracklistA Screamer feat. Riko Dan
B No Justice