- 'Please' and 'Simulacrum' are brilliant. Ikonika's debut release recalls early Warp bleep and beats, but with the kind of fluid and dynamic rhythm changes that make you remember why dubstep (if that's the right word for it now) can be so exciting.
One minute the beat is a massive thud on the fourth bar only, then it's Classic records-esque bouncing. One minute there are klaxons and two metal bars being banged together, and the next melancholy Casio tones falling woozily to the ground. All this exhilaration is tempered by an unsteady feel, like you’re right on the edge of drunkeness rather than falling-over pissed, and uncluttered, crisp arrangements. Perhaps best of all, Ikonika gives her music some real soul, and both 'Please’ and ‘Simulacrum' have lush, ravey tones in the breakdowns.
This release is on Hyperdub, the same stable as Burial, and it would appear that label boss Kode 9 has unearthed another great talent. It's also good to see that a woman is more than holding her own in a genre which, for the most part, is still a boys-only club.
TracklistA Please
AA Simulacrum