- A blistering EP of bass, techno and breakbeats.
- One minute into "Descendant," the lead track from Alex Dickson's new release for Whities, I realized two things. One, that the tune—staggered techno with breakbeats flashing like friction sparks—is absolutely massive. The other realization was that I had been missing out on a catalogue of stellar dubstep, techno and drum & bass fusions from a young Melbourne-based artist who speaks those musical languages with ease. Luckily, this 12-inch makes for a fantastic introduction.
It's hard to pinpoint what makes "Descendant" so good. It might be the controlled detonation of the breakbeats, or the way the track's tough facade melts into a synth-soaked second half. The other two tracks do their best to keep up. There's the fluttering techno of "Undulate," paired on the B-side with the metallic halftime lurch of "Encrypted." That one, with heavy bass, vocal grunts and clanking percussion, is the best glimpse of the dubwise destruction Dickson releases on other labels. With this knockout 12-inch, Whities continues its streak of plucking bangers from thin air. Pugilist feels somewhere between Batu, Leif and Om Unit, which is a great place to be.
TracklistA1 Descendant
B1 Undulate
B2 Encrypted