The M_nus crew gives off almost familial vibes. Read an interview with members of the stable and you’re struck by camaraderie they have with one another. Lucky for us, these chummy feelings make for excellent music. MVS1 is the first in a series of “spontaneous” collaboration EPs from M_nus artists, this time featuring the work of Americans Troy Pierce, Heartthrob (aka Jesse Siminski) and Jon Gaiser. This EP finds Heartthrob as its catalyst, with Siminski on renovation duties for the A and teaming up with Gaiser on the B.
MVS1 leads off with ‘Horse Nation Amended’, Heartthrob’s club-driven refix of Pierce’s 2005 cut, ‘Horse Nation’. Whereas the original’s bristled with barbed percussion poking out every which way, ‘Amended’ wraps the sharp edges in layers of vaporous noise and a vibrating synth motif, giving this slightly faster revision a more focused, four-to-the-floor feel. Heartthrob preserves and gives prominence to the rattling snare rolls, disembodied “Oh yeah yeah” vocal and squealing bursts of the original, each used more cautiously than in Pierce’s version, trading volatility for tension.
On the flipside is 'Nasty Girl', a truly filthy workout that brings a gutter funk attitude to minimal techno. Gaiser's murky bassline and snappy percussion encircle Heartthrob's distorted raps about the "Daddy's world" in which the lascivious chick of the title lives. Joined by trickling accompaniment and a nasal strain of melody, it’s a lightweight tune which may be better suited for a scummy back-alley fuck than a packed dancefloor in spite of its infectious rhythm.
Though Heartthrob’s twisted touch is the highlight of MVS1, all of its contributors bring the goods on this EP, setting the bar high for the future of this series and the prospects of the M_nus family.
Published /
Sun, 18 Mar 2007
Tracklist: Heartthrob vs. Troy Pierce, Gaiser vs. Heartthrob - MVS1
A Heartthrob vs. Troy Pierce - Horse Nation Amended
B Gaiser vs. Heartthrob - Nasty Girl | 
