Patscan: Happy Accidents
Lewd Recordings

The four-track EP Happy Accidents is the debut release on the cheekily-named Lewd Recordings by London-based (and Lewd co-founder) Pat Hime under the Patscan name. On this EP, Hime, who previously issued material on Rednetic (Plasticine, 2007) and Concrete Plastic (Muddled Up, 2007), works up intricate and multi-layered tracks underpinned by dubstep and techno rhythms—clubby tracks that work equally well as “headphones” material, in other words.

“Happy Accidents” sets the tone with bleeps and blips, a dubsteppy pulse, and a brooding vibe, with Hime peppering the bass-heavy track with all manner of micro-sounds—the whirr and click of electronic shrapnel, the high-pitched burble of voice fragments, and waves of synthetic artillery fire. The rather demented “Chow Beller” offers a head-spinning exercise in tick-tock acid-techno bolstered by woozy synth melodies and clangorous tribal rhythm patterning. The metronomic “Slip Pervis” serves up sputtering machine-funk replete with claps, grunts, and tinkling melodies, while the closing “Spleen Vent” may be the EP's high point, due to its imaginative and buoyant fusion of house, techno, and dubstep elements. All of which adds up to a good start for a new label, and material that should appeal to fans of Ai Records and Concrete Plastic.

August 2009