- Jesse Tijn's early releases for Pennyroyal and others were raucous and unpolished almost to a fault (the title of his Turbo New Jack Techno comp contribution, "The Anti-Mixdown," is telling). But in the year or so since, his music has been getting increasingly slick. The Flat EP for WNCL was in service to slinkier, more refined grooves. With this single for Overlee Assembly he returns to the remorseless stomp that made tracks like "Fucklebucks" such a delight, but the improvement in his technique is remarkable—all the better to deliver his excoriating payload.
The claps and hi-hats on "ILGD" are positively crisp, while in the middle distance bruised synths loop and interweave with machinelike precision. The way the thing grows and brutally grows is difficult to fault; its fearsome forward momentum owes a debt to '90s Surgeon. "Henry" is more vivid and more fun—largely due to the vertiginous pumping synth at its core. But where previously Tijn might have revelled in the silliness of his materials, here he remains steely in his resolve. In fact, silliness is what's lacking here, and Tijn fans may mourn its passing—but only briefly. Past Tijn singles had instant shock factor on their side, but these tracks should enjoy a longer life on the dance floor.
Tracklist01. ILGD
02. Henry