- TSVI stripped his last release for Nervous Horizon down to the drums. The London-based producer retooled UK funky with percussion from around the globe, hitting a dazzlingly effective formula. His latest EP is a natural continuation. Fusing fractured drums that reference gqom or kuduro and melodies that nod to grime, its best tracks are precise, unfussy and lethal. "Pull Up" and "Roller" perform a similar trick, ramping up the tension with dramatic breakdowns before dropping into a drum track. It's unusual but dynamic, making the drums' agility—not the weight of the kick—the main attraction. "Funky T" pairs tricky rhythms with a bass tone so deep it sounds like the speakers have blown. Though each cut is aimed at peak-time, they slink and sway as much as they bang.
Of the collaborations, "Xus Lord" with DJ JM, the Lithuanian producer fresh from an impressive debut EP, is closest to TSVI's solo sound. Luru turns "Pull Up" into a grime blockbuster, all lurching bass and gleaming melodies, while Wallwork, who helped TSVI cook up 2016's incendiary "Facts," steals the show. Over loping metallic drums, "Jaguar" ducks and weaves towards an unhinged finale that's equal parts noise and trance.
Tracklist01. TSVI - Pull Up
02. TSVI - Funky T
03. TSVI - Roller
04. TSVI & DJ JM - Xus Lord
05. TSVI & Wallwork - Jaguar
06. TSVI - Pull Up (Luru Remix)