Monday 22 June 2009

Dexter's laboratory

This laboratory is definitely ready to blow shit up... and guess what! There's not a single Dee Dee in sight to mess things up.

Dexter are an experimental techno/house duo from Chicago who've been making tunes for a number of years now... They're first release was back in 2001 on Jenetic Records, a 12" by the name of Pan Galactic (not to be confused with the version from BBC's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), which is somewhat of a vinyl junkies' collectors item I hear.
Then in 2004 they released their debut EP titled Connections Yeah! which was released on KGBeats, the label that they have been signed to til' this day. They also released a new single last year, which was their first MP3 release titled Vanilla Coke on KGBeats.

We've got a great treat for you in the form of three new tunes by Dexter that are currently getting support from Fabric resident and tech-house mastermind Terry Francis. The three tracks make up their newest release, the Waistland EP, which was released in May on KGBeats. You can grab all of the tracks below in 128bit quality, but please if you like what you hear, head over to their beatport page and support the fine work they're doing.


Dexter - Eye NVU
The first Eye NVU plays upon a lot of percussive might and subtle layered synths that are broken up by the dark melodic vocals. Certainly the kind of music I could see being part of a Layo & Bushwacka! set. There's an interesting break down at around 3:15, which sweeps up and down accompanied by the vocals. I'm reminded of touches of early Crystal Method at 3:30, Bad Stone springs to mind as the tune takes on a whole new direction to the close with filtered synths and deep bass that rise and rise to an epic ending.

Dexter - Waistland
The second in this release is a far more serious affair, with a deep beat and uplifting vocals. It seems Dexter's passion is really shining through on this track. For me its the strongest song in the EP, its poignant and catching, but I do feel the percussion can be at times overbearing, maybe a touch too fast and slightly takes away some of the punch that the vocals deliver. A little more variation would be easier on the ear perhaps, and you're always expecting there to be some kind of a subtle piercing breakdown that never comes.

Dexter - Nexus
For me, as the song opened and that crunchy, snarling bassline cut in to the frame I could tell this was going to be my favourite track out of the three. Every sound works so well together, and despite there being a lot of percussion it barely affects the final package and each sequence blends into each other perfectly. The exact translation of the word 'Nexus' refers to a group, a link or a tie of some sorts. It sums up how well this track has been introveniously weaved together. It's crying out to be given a beefier remix.

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