MRK1: Get Out Clause / Infection
Earwax

On two hard-hitting MRK1 cuts, Manchester producer and Contagious label head Mark Foster draws from his considerable grime and dubstep skills to school others in how it's done (his material's been issued on Rephlex Records and Planet MU, among others ). “Get Out Clause” slams into formation with a beat so pummeling, its echo is almost as huge, and then switches it up for a monstrous wobble that's tough enough to single-handedly flatten rocky terrain. He also pretties up the scenery with voice swirls and synth whooshes that get sucked into the maelstrom not once but twice. The flip's “Infection” opens with neck-severing snares grinding out a woozy, half-step skank, after which a subterranean bass and bright glissandi bring contrasting detail into the mix. Throughout the tune, MRK1 works up a hypnotic head-nod while simultaneously fleshing it out with cymbal patterns and electronic spatter. Short but definitely sweet.

November 2008