Kill The Noise – Black Magic EP

Posted by on November 8, 2012

Nearly a year after the release of his show-stopping debut EP, Kill The Noise proves that he remains firmly positioned at the vanguard of a rapidly changing electronic music scene. Black Magic, his sophomore effort, showcases both his evolution as a producer and his uncanny ability to find musicality in unexpected places. While there’s less of the slowed-down, guttural bass that was omnipresent on Kill Kill Kill — and which has arguably become his calling card as a producer — there’s plenty of goodness here to fill the void. There are positively haunting vocal harmonies that slide seamlessly into an eerie bass interlude (“Black Magic [Kill The Noise pt. 2]”). There’s hard-hitting dub (always an OWSLA favorite) in the form of “Jump Ya Body;” thanks to agile, relentless synthwork, it feels fresh even amidst “Make It Bun Dem” and “Jah No Partial” oversaturation. “Rockers” borrows a bit too heavily from the Knife Party playbook, but it’s a fun and high-energy listen — and the pitch-perfect trap breakdown at the second drop rights all wrongs. “Mosh It Up” and its fierce laser synths were made for the dance floor, while the funky, moombah-tinged “Thumbs Up” (a collaboration with Feed Me) is about to make my commute home a lot more interesting. “Saturn” is a startling and lovely surprise that is perhaps the most unexpected track on the EP; the ethereal vocals culminate in an ecstatic harmony before KTN navigates us into some pounding electro house and a bridge that features an intricately woven hook. The final track? A totally mind-blowing piano cover of “Kill The Noise pt. 1” by internet wunderkind Evan Duffy (seriously, if you haven’t checked out this kid’s covers of your favorite EDM tracks yet, do yourself a favor and spend an hour on his YouTube channel). It’s a brilliant marriage of the traditional with the unconventional, and — like the rest of Black Magic — strikes just the right chord.

Beatport
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