- Drum & bass meets garage and IDM.
- The way Yak lays down drums—unpredictable, often fitting in more beats than you'd expect—reminds me of Blawan's early productions. Yak's recent run of records has established the Sheffield artist as someone who's able to put his own stamp on all kinds of tempos and genres. After releasing on Version, R&S and Phonica, Yak returns to 3024 for an EP that continues his hot streak.
"Esper" is the highlight, with lightweight aluminium drums and twinkling, liquid-style keyboard melodies. There's something earthy and tactile about it, especially the way certain drums time-stretch and disintegrate. Then again, you might be swayed by the weirdo 2-step of the title track, with bouncy drums that never sit still and swooning strings that pull you back to the early days of Hessle Audio.
With its halftime lurch, "Knothole" is the curveball, closing out an EP that accomplishes a lot. The three tracks on Dire Hit are different but all contain Yak's signature drum patterns and leftfield switch-ups. Lots of UK producers are bringing dubstep and drum & bass ideas to techno, but few cover the hardcore continuum as convincingly as Yak.
Tracklist01. Dire Hit
02. Esper
03. Knothole