- Continuing a streak of anything-goes releases for his own label, Not So Much, Mosca's latest 12-inch features two versions of "Cedar Wood State" that land between house and electro. Listening to both sides, it seems that the raucous bloops and squelches at the core of each track came first, and the Londoner then matched them with a couple different beats. The approach is at its simplest on the "Vector Mix," as the beat is often little more than a 4/4 kick and a skipping hi-hat set to the synth sequence. A lack of rhythmic interplay and distinct structure makes the arrangement sound aimless, despite the energy behind its MS-20 noodling.
The "Volt Mix" is a big, booming electro groover that Mosca seems to have put far more love into. It picks up where "Cortisol" left off last year, dealing with an elastic backbeat and hints of classic sci-fi. With some serious editing, the original drawn-out synth recording becomes a treat as it sets up a drop or runs circles in double-time around the massive beat. The sampled shouts, percussion and chords lend "Volt Mix" an old breaker vibe à la "Al-Naafiysh" and "Clear," but it's all too unhinged to sound derivative. Even the scratching and well-timed rewinds Mosca sneaks into the mix feel fresh in context—the fun he had with this track is contagious.
TracklistA Cedar Wood State (Vector Mix)
B Cedar Wood State (Volt Mix)