- Lyon-based artist Fetnat is said to be the alias of an experienced producer who wishes to remain anonymous. His first record under that name, Swahili, finds the unknown Frenchman equally in love with delirious African polyrhythms, hard-banging drum machines and raw-sounding production. A slippery track like "Kaoti" swings between unmanageable cacophony and the charm of soulful keys, whereas "Rotel" drives straight through its mechanized groove without stopping to indulge the eerie din around it. That latter approach is the most persuasive of Fetnat's modes, while his knottier tracks reveal someone interested in testing the boundaries of the dance floor.
It's invigorating to hear "Ddar" go wild on its percussive interplay, sneaking in almost unrecognizable vocal noises and field recordings for color. "Kaoti" is a beautiful mess that needn't be tidied. Yet those headier pleasures fade next to the shuddering jack track "Devol" and "Rotel"'s roughshod propulsion. Some of Swahili's DJ-friendly fare still brings along the producer's delinquent inclinations (like the skewed tom loop that all but derails "BB2"'s lopsided bounce), which could very well muddle a mix on certain dance floors. It would seem that Fetnat is daring us to find out.
TracklistA1 BB2
A2 Ddar
A3 Kaoti
B1 Devol
B2 Rotel