Ekoplekz: Westerleigh Works EP (Perc Trax)

Cool, coarse tracks from Ekoplekz, who’s released several albums over the last couple of years. This is my first real exposure to the project, and I’m digging it. There’s a distorted edge to these tracks that recalls some of the more abrasive material of Aphex Twin (circa “Ventolin”) but tempered by that dark, post-industrial aesthetic that characterizes many of the releases on Perc Trax. There are 3 originals, none of which really are entirely suited for the average dancefloor. “Ekoplatz” couples dub reverb and delay with synth stabs and weirdly galloping percussion tracks, with squelches of feedback scattered throughout. “Narco Samba” is far more nightmarish than its title suggests, with an almost industrial sound about it, full of disembodied factory grind. “Xylem Teardrops” is my personal favorite, closing it out, with a gloomy repetitive melodic lead that helps accentuate the already urgent distorted tracks underneath. Richard H. Kirk from Cabaret Voltaire takes his hand to a remix of “Ekoplatz” that is quite removed from the original… he removes much of its bite and gallop and infuses it with a steadier, more head-bobbing groove. It’s entirely fitting that Ekoplekz called on Kirk for remix honors, seeing as to how the feedbacky swirl of these tracks sometimes recalls those early Cabs records that were so rough around the edges. Dark and infectious, an act to watch out for.

Buy it: Perc Trax Bandcamp | Boomkat | Bleep | Amazon | iTunes