- Physical Therapy is pretty much a byword for genre-hopping these days. On his six-track Hit The Breaks EP, Daniel Fisher adds breakbeats to his playbook with the same brio as his past experiments with jungle, electronica, techno and ravey house. The Berlin-based American is also known for the fun he has on his records, and it continues here, from the punning title onwards. You can imagine the grin on his face when he produced these tracks, despite the warehouse-ready darkness of their ingredients.
The title track sets the tone with a colossal, distorted beat, which Fisher liberally peppers with drill-like flourishes and frantic cowbells. A good deal of Hit The Breaks's fun comes from the drums. "Tell Me" is a straightforward banger before the beats grow squelchy and a ragga vocal appears, evoking old Kid606. Spooky synths are Fisher's other go-to: the title track, the rubbery clatter of "Mahnbescheid" and "Clean Slate" all feature eerie high notes. Standout "Pointalism" has a compelling chug that sounds like it was recorded in a roaring gale. A "Bonus Beat" version of "Hit The Breaks" further underlines the percussive focus of Fisher's impressive EP.
TracklistA1 Hit The Breaks
A2 Mahnbescheid
A3 Tell Me
B1 Clean Slate
B2 Pointalism
B3 Hit The Breaks (Bonus Beat)