Recon/Decon #2 by Recon/Decon #2

It's such a joy when four distinctly disparate artists come together to produce a work so cohesive, so respectful... so beautifully banging! Listen to the fourth track below to hear what I mean:

Built on the same foundations as 2015's Recon/Decon #1, this second installment in the fledgling series sees another four artists (SØS Gunver Ryberg, Aïsha Devi, Rrose and Paula Temple) come together in a celebratory sample swap and make music greater than the proverbial sum. Four individuals coming together for a short-lived but frenzied period of procreation, like the Lard song Mate, Spawn & Die. By using each other's samples without crediting who's who they aim to rid any grandiose notions of hierarchy and ego and focus instead on affinity. Temple describes this bond:

Every artist in this release approaches their creative energy particularly connected towards a more shamanistic mindset.

When you listen to the progression of their music, it feels like the physical and mental realms we accept as reality and function within are being stripped away. Maybe that is weird to say about underground dance music, but I find the journeys each of these artists take you on are very exciting in how they affect you.

As you might expect, the result of this electrifying chemistry is a very unique sound; the razor-sharp production in particular taking centre stage. The opening track DR2-1 builds the tension levels with immense vigour before dismantling at 3:45. Crunching, piquant beats on the second track criss-cross with mournful vocal snippets. A hypnotic bass on track 3 evolves into washes of throbbing black and white noise, the perfect interlude for some Techno contemplation before the highlight of the set closes things out with its wobbly marriage of warped vocals and broken beats, proving melody exists in Techno.

8/10 after 18 listens

Out now on limited edition vinyl and digital via Temple's Noise Manifesto label.