- Like Aisha Devi, Petit Singe (real name Hazina Francia) uses music to explore her identity and family origins. Born in India, raised in Italy and currently living in Milan, Francia incorporates sampled Indian folk and pop elements into her distinct take on club music. Her mediative debut release for Haunter Records, the six-track Tregua cassette, was restrained compared to what she's released since. Akash Ganga, her latest release, gives us diamond-hard polyrhythms and unforgiving surfaces.
"OXO" is the EP's most barbed track. It begins with industrial computer music and the sound of metal hammering metal, after which tabla percussion falls like leaden rain and ricochets around. The metallic barrage turns into a vocal effects cloud, which eventually engulfs and disperses the racket. Vocals are utilised in this manner—as diffusion devices and warmer accompaniments to Francia's jagged percussion—throughout the EP. On "Challenge" and "27.09.87," vocals are treated until they're no longer human.
Akash Ganga is challenging, but it's also melodic and emotive. The title track is aggressive enough to be breakcore, but it's swaddled in droning choral pads that soften and subvert the tone. There are also lovely sparkling details and a pitter-pattering of hand-hit drums. These interesting sonic juxtapositions and wildly nonlinear structures mark Petit Singe as a deviant newcomer worth keeping tabs on.
TracklistA1 Hue & Cry
A2 OXO
B1 Challenge
B2 Akash Ganga
B3 27.09.87