- Syncom Data are firm fixtures of the Rotterdam and The Hague scenes, making spaced-out techno with a coating of West Coast grot. They've been steadily active since the late '90s—this single follows on from Warehousing, a sultry three-tracker released earlier this year. Rumpukone doesn't quite sound like anything they've released previously, though, and it's all the better for it.
Inspired by "Me And My Rhythm Box," a song from 1982 electroclash urtext Liquid Sky, the lead track is just that: a voice—that of Dutch-Finnish vocalist Saara Soini—and a rhythm. Only the voice is an unholy, broken wail, and the drums a distorted churn that gets more apocalyptic with each passing minute. There's also an instrumental version, but it's the combination of vocal and drums that makes the track feel so unhinged. The release is rounded off by a collaboration with Syncom Data Records signee Mystica Tribe. "Space Madness" has a similar gurning techno mood, albeit toned down considerably, and picks up a janky dub backbeat along the way. It feels like a slightly needless addition—then again, next to the raging brilliance of the A-side, most things would.
TracklistA1 Rumpukone feat. Saara Soini
A2 Rumpukone (Instrumental)
B1 Space Madness feat. Mystica Tribe