- Prolific Oakland-via-Chicago DJ/producer/engineer Ben Versluis undoubtedly knows his way around a professional studio, though you might not guess it from his new Worker/Parasite EP. Sure, everything on Exchange Value is thoughtfully constructed, allowing Versluis' skills with hardware and arrangement to shine through, and yet the record's acid-heavy productions are decidedly rough. The mixes are bone-dry, every machine (909, 303, etc.) flirts with the red zone, and it's all dusted with just the right amount of tape distortion.
Opening the record with "Fish Dust" and "Numbing Number," Versluis proves he knows his way around wonked-out acid. Neither is particularly remarkable or underwhelming in its delirious nostalgia, and there's always room on the dance floor for acid of this energy and caliber. More notable are "Gourd" and "Travel," which finish Exchange Value with a couple of rigorous, no-frills drum tracks. By toning down the acid tropes, Versluis opens his music up to fresh avenues and perspectives. His knowledge and capabilities as a producer are obvious, so all that's really left is for him to continue cultivating his voice.
Tracklist01. Fish Dust
02. Numbing Number
03. Gourd
04. Travel