We’ll say it again: 2013 was the year of the label. Every DJ and his mum seemed to set up a new stable to bypass release schedules and change artistic modes. When a label comes along out of nowhere with a determinedly clear aesthetic vision, however, is when it gets interesting. The latest to meet that criteria is London imprint Cohort. Balancing sound and image perfectly, their carefully designed artwork, right down their white vinyl and beautifully rendered labels, matches the ominous splendour of their debut release. This comes from Lisbon artist Chainless, a shadowy figure unbound by reputation or expectation. “We live in an age where we are bombarded with thousands of images everyday, and everyone exposes themselves, and feels comfortable with it. I don’t,” he explains. All this would be moot, though, if the music weren’t up to scratch. Citing influences such as Art of Noise, John Carpenter and Isao Tomita, Chainless goes dark on the Grey Veils EP. Think ghostly chants and cavernous, sepulchral chords, an imagined rave in an 18th-Century monastery. Trance synths over heavy grime and dubstep kicks, booming echoey percussion that will fill you with dread as it hits your solar plexus. Enjoy this exclusive first play of the full EP, and then go cop it ahead of its release next week. We can’t wait to hear who else they’ve got lined up for us this year.

Chainless – Grey Veils by Cohort Recordings

Chainless – Grey Veils EP is out on March 31 on Cohort. Pre-order here.