- Slick, purist techno to send you down the rabbit hole.
- I'd happily wait another five years for a solo EP from James Ruskin if it were as good as this one. The record begins with a masterful cut that simultaneously appears simple and complex. Synth layers rise and fall in interlocking patterns. The tension is undeniable but never quite erupts. During an extended breakdown, Ruskin teases and tweaks the arrangement until a subtle drop is eventually revealed. With a full one minute and 40 seconds to go, he allows the drums to fade as a synth line continues to churn in position.
The other two tracks are almost as good. "We Are Everywhere" works with similar ideas but expresses them much more forcefully. "Disaffection," meanwhile, immediately sounds like a troublemaker, its daring lead synth reaching "Flat Beat" levels of squelchiness. Aside from a burst of activity in the early 2000s, Ruskin has always released music—whether it's solo, with artists like Mark Broom, or in collaboration with Regis as O/V/R—at a slow and steady clip. Maybe there's something to be said for this? It's more than 20 years since Ruskin got started with this thing, and there's still a sense of occasion and a feeling of vitality with most of his releases.
TracklistA1 Reality Broadcast Off
B1 We Are Everywhere
B2 Disaffection