- Don't DJ takes a mathematical approach to club music. Thrd Mpct, the first EP from Paradon't, his collaborative project with fellow German producer Paraklang, combines high-minded algorithmic composition with rich organic textures. I was immediately drawn to the charisma of "Chuwangk Kyuh Hay (thrd mpct)"'s percussion, where hand drum samples are arranged in head-spinning patterns that shift in and out of traditional time signatures. There isn't much else to it, so it feels more like a rhythmic exercise than a fully realized track. As exciting as those drums may be, the effect wears off after they milk the same polyrhythmic technique for a few minutes. Without any new developments to infuse the track with energy, it slouches, not sprints, towards the finish line.
"N Bun Kan Kan (bld rm)" has more momentum. Every new rhythmic layer adds an exciting inflection to the groove, which feels technologically advanced without coming off rigid or academic. That is perhaps the strength of this EP—the producers weave a latticework of interlocking patterns while also maintaining a tactile human feeling. It's unclear how "Gonyungk Wadt (mntrx)," a brief, beatless interlude of buzzing synthesizer tones, fits the EP. Rather than including an unremarkable textural experiment, it would have been nice to hear more variations on Don't DJ and Paraklang's high-tech rhythmic method.
TracklistA1 Chuwangk Kyuh Hay (thrd mpct)
B1 N Bun Kan Kan (bld rm)
B2 Gonyungk Wadt (mntrx)