The duo of Tom Thorpe and Bonar Bradberry—whose history dates back to DJ slots at their hometown's infamous Asylum parties—are named after the patrol boat that hunted down Kurtz in Apocalypse Now. There's certainly a dark, oppressive, humid atmosphere that hangs above "Downstroke," an effect enhanced by the drawled, Blaxploitation-style vocal. There's little divergence from the linear path it treads, bar the moment the music cuts and a single drum roll jolts you out of the hypnotising effect that the groove engenders.
Swiss techno lord Deetron coats "Downstroke" in a dusting of acid, delivered by a storm cloud of stabbing bass synths and featuring a brief but wildly frantic breakdown. There's more deep, mid-tempo cosmic house moodiness on "Vibos," with a percussive snap, crackle and pop married to a simple Korg M1-style synth refrain. It's perhaps not a package that offers something for those who prefer things a bit brasher and ballsier, but will excite those susceptible to a bit of aural ear-nibbling. It is that time of year, of course.
Buy PBR Streetgang - Downstroke at
  
Tracklist: PBR Streetgang - Downstroke
 A Downstroke
B1 Downstroke (Deetron Remix)
B2 Vibos
| 
