When one googles the word ‘wonky’, a slew of dictionary definitions arise—crooked, off-center, askew, faulty, not functioning ‘correctly’—these terms barely scratch the surface of what Netherlands-based producer Frits Wentink (soundcloud), and his impressive and relatively young label, Bobby Donny, have to offer the dance community. Wonky is the first word that comes to mind with every release Frits unveils (spanning back to his remarkably prolific 2015), and his newest cut, closing out from Bristol stomper Scissorwork’s newest EP, is no different.
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BODO005, including two new cuts from Scissorwork, is yet another striking addition to the ever-expanding world of lo-fi shufflers. Today, we premiere the release’s final track, a remix of B-side ‘Moonlight Boys Choir’ from Wentink. Frits takes the glistening roller of an original, and….well, he wonks it right up. Bringing the tempo down marginally, Wentink throws around a hefty, chugging rhythm to kick off his version; a throbbing signal pulses through the mix, reverberating out and in, as pinprick samples and melodies are interwoven atop frequently phasing percussion. As layers upon layers of fuzz periodically lift and are reapplied to the mix, it feels as if the track’s multitude of elements are being submerged underwater in real time, unable to lift their heads out for even a brief moment to take a breath.
Wentink’s rendition feels brittle, like it needs to be handled with great care to hold its delicate parts together; however, there’s an undeniable energy that exudes from the apparently visible seams holding it together. As tones and chords squelch out from behind what feels like a concrete wall, moments of true grit and funk seep through, allowing those paying close enough attention to find meaningful passages from beginning to end. While Frits’ take on ‘Moonlight Boys Choir‘ may not serve a peak-time release, it’s more than capable of lighting the path to follow, down a weird and winding (and wonky) road.
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGwKaTf8lYw[/embedyt]Danny