There’s something about dance music that explicitly looks back to the past. Sometimes the producers or artists get lost recreating what came before rather than using the influence as a jumping off point. For Proto Mumdance & Logos build on the success fo thier past collaborations, taking pieces of grime, 90s jungle and hardcore to turn them into something completely different. The sound is dark and aggressive, packed with metallic swooshes and momentary rhythmic bursts. The album’s title references the 93 – 94 “proto era” where hardcore morphed into jungle and the duo builds on the experimentalism and creativity that was palpable back then. Proto definitely sounds more polished than retro, made with a keen ear for the future while simultaneously taking a peek into the past. There is precision honed use of space as well as tension and release. Hihats are left to float off into the distance before being obliterated by bass heavy kicks. Rhythms roll forward before being stopped dead in their tracks. They build your sense of anticipation up, making you feel as if you never really know what’s going to happen. Proto is an exciting listen from end to end with plenty of memorable moments.

• music label: Tectonic 2015

reviewed by Michu Meszaros 03/2015

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