- Through a trio of idiosyncratic EPs, Matt Gardner, AKA Terekke, has carved out his own dusky corner of underground dance music. After waiting more than a year for his last outing, we were rewarded with another four-tracker three months later, released via Rush Hour subsidiary No 'Label'. Though it introduces a new alias, X, the self-titled EP is unquestionably Terekke, sticking closely to his muted funk aesthetic.
By now Gardner's hallmarks are familiar: exquisite samples, stifled melodies, that thin layer of distortion. All of these appear on X, mapped to some of Gardner's most slamming beats. The A1 is a total club weapon, with muffled house keys and jittery vocals riding bumpily over gritty kicks and a storm-cloud bassline. The A2 packs as much punch and a pinch more soul, sounding like a classic-era Masters At Work track played from inside a paper bag. Gardner's deft manipulation and sensuous tones make it the best track here.
After such a hazy unfolding, the crispness of the B1's kicks come as a shock, though it's not long before quivering pads and a distant female voice help restore that crackly feel. And as for the B2, here we see Gardner push his style to its limits. A feel-good disco loop runs beneath a smog of distortion so thick it'll have you reaching to adjust your mixer. For some it'll be too much, but you can't help but feel like that's the point.
TracklistA1 Untitled
A2 Untitled
B1 Untitled
B2 Untitled