For the fourth release on #Ozma and #Lowriderz’ newly established and aptly named #OzriderzRecords, local Saint Petersburg producer #Grinder makes his debut appearance on the label with five slices of blistering drum and bass. Earning his stripes with recent releases on fellow Russian labels #Invasion, #Ignescent and #Timeofnight, the rising star has DJed at prestigious events including Neuropunk and World of Drum&Bass and has already been lauded by the likes of #Noisia and #DJBes. #TheFactoryEP is his biggest and boldest offering to date, striking a delicate balance between breathy ambiences and furious, clanking basslines to further what has come to be known as #Grinder’s signature style.
The project’s genre-bending opener “#Factory” kicks off with suspenseful, drawn-out piano chords before bursting into a giddy drop dominated by careening, mechanical synth stabs and earthy basslines in a manner. Bridging the gap between techstep and jump up, it even switches into half-time for the track’s final climax, adding further dynamism to the already unpredictable track. Meanwhile, “#GoLike” opens with wispy, atmospheric pads, erupting into a juddering drop interspersed with exhilarating pauses. Taking the EP in a different direction is “#9Points”, which opens with tense, airy echoes before snapping into a snarling frenzy, propelled by urgent breakbeats and pattering, percussive melodies.
The final two offerings on the EP call upon two of the Russian scene’s brightest talents for assistance. “#ComeBack” is an electrifying collaboration with ragga-slanted #MCSmokyD, culminating in a breezy drop marked by melodic plucks. Finally, for the project’s epic conclusion, label boss Ozma reimagines “#Factory” as a caffeinated jump up weapon, prefixed by gleaming arpeggios before catapulting into a swelling, syncopated drop.
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