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Monday 19 July 2010

TEC039: Jakes/Darqwan Guest Review

Our resident reviewer Emile hit us up with a review of the latest Tectonic release from Jakes & Darqwan.

Here's the tune...

Here's the review:

Questions over the qualitative value of Dubstep have been seething for quite some time, but if there is anything that would eternally quell them, it could be nothing less than the most recent Tectonic offering. Twinned through wax, just as regal faces side coins, Jakes & Darqwan demonstrate their kingly breeding to be something more chthonic and tribal, alluding to an irony in the link with such a name as Tectonic. Significance could not be in greater abundance in this release.

Time Ends is the unveiling of another, little known and seldom seen facet of Jakes persona – one that exposes him to be of a pensive, darkly resolute and unremorseful nature. The track opens with an apocalyptic address, child-like laughter and a question of chance, only to be followed by a creeping bass that ushers in an ultimate drop. The beat has an intricacy and impact reminiscent of the Dark Garage that precedes it; a certain funk that so many current tracks are devoid of in their half-time simplicity. With it, is the type of abrupt minimalism that characterised early Grime tracks such as The Formula by Youngstar, giving Time Ends the impression of radiating the same level of hyper-energy. The emergence of what sounds like African percussion towards the apex of the track adds a rhythmic dimension that exposes a latent sense of tribalism with hypnotic potency. Beyond music, this piece underlies a mysticism that others do not.

In a similar fashion to Time Ends, the drums of Darqwan’s JahWan form a pattern of acute complexity and consummate swagger. This similarity is of no coincidence given the very truth that it was tracks such as his As We Enta and Pipe Dreams that contributed to the Dark Garage sound which subsequently formed the basis of Dubstep. In a sense, past and present become one – doubly so considering how JahWan utilises the same style of punchy bass as Darqwan’s former Tectonic release, Structive.

The depth of meaning in Jakes and Darqwan’s pieces is as unequivocal as their power to excite, overwhelm and intrigue. Little else need be further noted than that.

Words: Emile

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4 comments:

Tan said...

This is the most insanely long winded and hard to understand thing i have ever read.

Anonymous said...

embarrassingly bad

Anonymous said...

no it isnt

Anonymous said...

I hope apocolypse isn't this tedious.