- Pete O'Grady belongs to a small group of electronic music artists whose every release feels like a significant event. The supply line has played a part in this. Since he began making music with Boddika in 2012, the pair have favoured surprise drops, releasing white labels and EPs on their no-frills SunkLo imprint with little or no advance warning—the records usually sell out in a matter of days or even hours. Of course, none of this would matter if the tracks weren't frequently so good. Their style tends to fluctuate from release to release, but all of the 12-inches share the same bold handling of arrangements and noticeably high productions values. These tracks kick incredibly hard in the club. True to form, last week O'Grady casually announced the imminent arrival of two new 12-inches, his first solo records since 2012.
Off Season / Fuerza, released on O'Grady and Will Bankhead's Hinge Finger label, won't necessarily surprise anyone who's been following his work these past few years, but he does cover some new ground. "Off Season" is the more immediate weapon. At first brush it's a fairly straight, breaks-infused drum track, although a few small but crucial details set it apart. At one point the track's rhythm is suddenly scrambled, knocking dancers off their balance, while an ominous synth lines ghosts in for the track's main break, which brings things to near-silence before returning with the intensity of the best hardcore records. "Fuerza" is subtler and made me think of Olof Dreijer's work as Oni Ayhun. That's mainly because of the track's distinctive lead synth, which, with its phased stomp, also brings to mind Levon Vincent. Neither of these comparisons should diminish what's here, though: "Fuerza" is a convincing sonic tangent for O'Grady on a strong EP.
TracklistA Off Season
B Fuerza feat. Kieron & Lou