Two minutes into Primitive World‘s ‘Purple Caps’ there arrives a jagged, distorted guitar-like bassline. In tune with the warped synth globs that have preceded it, it points the track in a rugged, industrial direction. What follows isn’t quite expected, however, as bright, expansive synth lines hover above within a minute, an abrupt yet welcome offering of light in an otherwise murky underworld. This track, the first to feature on the second Obsession Recordings compilation release, is a study in contrasts. A deep and grinding techno groove meets chopped vocal samples, yearning synths hover over murky sludge. It’s this tension that informs the track, and indeed the release, as each entry defies logic and operates just outside the staid realm of formula. ‘Tides of Lust’ is a hotbed of rattling drums, thrillingly vibrant percussion that sits just above a fizzing, ever-present droning bassline. Its urgency is unparalleled, its lack of melody moot. This just bangs, a votive for frenzied dancers.
Stream: Obsession Recordings 002 Clips (Obsession Recordings)
German producer Yør contributes two sides of the same coin with ‘Rites Of Passage’ parts I and II. The first, a growling acid bassline the only point of consistency amidst a raft of computer-game signifiers and other-worldly utterances and sound effects, is a haunting ride down an imagined Amazon, a narcotic trip through a vicious nightclub hazing. Midway through a simply modulated acid riff takes things down an even darker route, while those one-up sounds are blasted and distorted in searingly twisted fashion. It’s a real rabbit hole of a track, any number of outcomes possible depending on the mind that receives it. The second ‘Rite’ takes a more straightforward and upbeat approach, at a much faster tempo to boot. The classic sound of its bass kicks is offset by tribal wailing and electronica-ready chord patterns though – it’s dancefloor music, yes, but not without heart and soul, a melange of ideas taking it beyond the domain of the functional. With its second release Obsession has managed to capture perfectly its moniker in sound and feel, and has truly set the bar high for its own output henceforth.
Obsession Recordings 002 is out now
