VA: Blind EP2
Blind Music

One month after its debut release, the second installment in Blind Music's EP series already is upon us. Once again this self-described record label experiment presents us with three tracks by unnamed artists and no supporting production-related details of any kind. Blind EP 2, in keeping with the label's philosophy, aims to both preserve some sense of mystery about its contents whilst also keeping the focus exclusively on the music.

“BLND#4,” as it's named, oozes some degree of wonky old-school blaze in its melding of soulful vocal shout-outs (“Said I need you, Chloe…”) and dubsteppy bass throb. By comparison, “BLND#5” locates itself more solidly within drum'n'bass territory in serving up a slinky rolling groove that punctuates its serpentine swing with bass growl and atmospheric textures. The EP's closing cut is wonky also, though in a way that connects its playful swizzle'n'strut to a fractured style of IDM not too far removed from something Plaid might produce.

If anything separates the second chapter from the first, it's the broader stylistic terrain encompassed by Blind EP 2, with its sixteen minutes less strictly adhering to drum'n'bass and opening its doors to let dubstep, garage, dub, and IDM influences seep in, too.

July 2014