- On Disco Nihilist's debut release for Gerd Janson's Running Back label, the Maine-based producer sticks to his guns and delivers six raw, house tracks. "Greasy Grind" is what I imagine house music would sound like if vintage drum machines ran on gasoline and needed frequent oil changes. Hi-hats bounce atop a booming kick drum like firing pistons and you can almost smell the engine grease burning when an overdriven synth line takes over the frequency range. "Keep It Simple" does exactly what it says on the tin, providing DJs with another punishing jack-track to work any dance floor running out of steam.
Although both of the opening tracks on this record may prove most attractive for DJs, the most intriguing pieces here for casual listeners will likely be "A New Career in Town" and "Coffee and a Worn Paperback." Here the producer keeps his tell-tale analogue house percussion but explores futuristic and melancholic melodies reminiscent of the early works of IDM pioneers such as Aphex Twin and Autechre. While many could accuse Disco Nihilist of producing excessively simple tributes to the classic, analogue sound of labels such as Dance Mania or Nu Groove, the latter two tracks prove that there is much more to this emerging talent than may be immediately apparent. In this respect, one might say Disco Nihilist's music is somewhat like the DeLorean from Back to the Future: It may initially look like just a souped-up muscle car, but it has the capacity to take you into the past, the future or both...
Tracklist A1 Greasy Grind
A2 Keep It Simple
A3 A New Career in Town
B1 December 5th
B2 Sci-Fi on Tape
B3 Coffee and a Worn Paperback