- A veteran of the mid-American noise underground, Robert Beatty has in the last few years steered his drone-smeared Three Legged Race project towards beats. But in contrast to Container, whose style evolved in relative isolation to the techno scene, the three well-crafted tracks comprising Wrong Element are clearly the work of a musician who keeps abreast of current developments in electronic dance music. Not only that, Beatty's understanding of groove architecture is impressive, especially for someone who can be considered somewhat new to the art.
These qualities present themselves right out the gate. Despite a tempo that's more troglodyte stomp than dance floor swift, "Dr. Wrong Element" pivots on a muscular minimalism (taut thump grafted to stinging synth swirl) that doesn't feel far removed from Luke Slater's Planetary Assault Systems output, or the Blueprint catalog for that matter. The following cut, a slow-sizzler titled "Solid, Liquid Or Daughter," boasts a similar sonic palette. This time, however, Beatty filters his gaggle of snaps and zaps through lo-fi textures informed by microsound—Alva Noto meets Caboladies, more or less.
The flip consists of a sidelong track that's easily the best of the lot. Over 11 mesmerizing minutes, "Jet Animal" grows into a bubbling rager (about 144 BPM) powered by a kick that carries out its task with bouncy zeal. What's truly nifty is how Beatty weaves manipulation of the stereo space—ping-pong panning that resembles jabbering orangutans—into the rhythm itself. It's one of those delicious, little subtleties that speaks to his genuine potential as a producer.
Tracklist A1 Dr. Wrong Element
A2 Solid Liquid, Or Daughter
B Jet Animal