- An atmospheric twist on speed dembow.
- Siu Mata and Amor Satyr are no strangers at this point. With their Wajang label, the two Parisian producers have released an array of club hits drawing from a range of influences like baile funk, dancehall and reggaeton, with their pan-Latin American percussive influences typically front and center. This results in an atmospheric take on "speed dembow": fast-paced dance music that takes sampling and mixing cues from techno.
Nechung, the two producers' latest EP, strays from the duo's four-on-the-floor rhythms in favor of more fluid song structures, implementing syncopated beats and even more effects over three 140 BPM tracks. "Phowa," the EP's opener, mixes crunchy bells with just the right amount of reverb, which makes the drums at the foundation of the track feel even more jagged. "Oracle" marks its entrance with throat singing that drones into the first bridge of the track, only to be swiftly replaced by a sputtering array of synth and vocal hits. Throughout the whole thing runs a Jersey club beat that forgoes the last triplet kick, creating an airier rhythm that gives more space to the instrumentals.
"Mhkl" best showcases Nechung's cavernous feel by building up a handful of echoing yelps and drum hits into an ominous ensemble. By its climax, "Mhkl" layers these samples into fast, percussive breaks, which only makes the bridge's drop more satisfying. Nechung as a whole exemplifies just how Siu Mata and Amor Satyr construct frenetic compositions that never manage to feel one-note. The EP flips through various ideas in every section of the track, creating an ebb and flow marked by a mixture of buildups, breaks and drops.
Tracklist01. Phowa
02. Oracle
03. Mhkl