Terror Danjah - Reinforced EP

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  • Terror Danjah's ongoing streak of prolificacy is almost frightening, not for its voluminous output but for its superhuman consistency and unflagging quality. With new releases coming from all angles, it's hard to trace the lineage of his latest, the Reinforced EP for the Netherlands' resident psychedelic grime specialist Rwina. Despite falling between the equally excellent and career-redefining eight-track Power Grid EP on Planet Mu and the upcoming Undeniable LP on Hyperdub, Reinforced lacks the expensive sheen of those two efforts. Excuse the pun, but you might say these three tracks are extra grimy, toning down the hypercolour playfulness and rhythmic elasticity in favour of a decisive thrust. Frequent collaborator DOK appears on "Peanut Punch," the barebones wallop amplified by DOK's characteristic "ha!" soundbite. Instead of Terror's usual melodic tangents, the synths are forced to seep out of the cracks and craters created by the punishing beats. If "Peanut Punch" is relatively unfriendly, "Stomp Test" practically bears a "keep out" sign, anchored by an ugly dissonant thump as the synths are again forced to worm their way out piecemeal of the ensuing destruction. Towering over the b-sides, the title track is a lengthy six-minute trudge, cycling through movements (dare I say prog-grime?) with a sort of begrudged alacrity; there's eager energy here, but there's anger too. A forcefully-descending riff splinters into atonal screeches and malfunctioning bass before catching a luxurious ride on nearby floating clouds. Airy noodling synths are quickly punctured by a nasty low-end, falling back to earth with alarming velocity as the elements catch fire until the flaming wreck hits the surface and begins anew. It'd be folly to pick a "best" out of a career as unpredictable as Danjah's, especially at the rate with which he seems to one-up himself, but there's no doubting that the striking "Reinforced" stands near the very pinnacle of his career, even if its attendant tracks seem simplistic by comparison. Considering its release date, it will either get caught up in the wave of hype or swept under, but no matter the result, this'll be one you can dig out in a few years time and wow an audience with as either a rinsed-out anthem or long-lost deep cut.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Reinforced B1 Peanut Punch ft. D.O.K. B2 Stomp Test
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