Last years Push Me, Pull You album with as Toob was a highlight for me. Sharp indie-electro pop that should have made an impression the size of recently defeated Nikolai Valuev but merely floated under the radar. This, Jakeone’s first solo EP for Process should not suffer the same fate.
Stingrays is a hybrid of techno style and sound in a bite-sized package. Clocking in at just over 5 minutes this is a slick, easy to swallow track for electro fans without the desire to hear a track evolve and contort over 10 minutes. Starting with a simple beat each element is generously sprinkled as the bass growls before a driving electro break. Scant shifty high hats and stabs lead before the deep bass kicks again, and voila!
La Onda is the cut for anyone who has latched on to the Major Lazor style off-kilter beat arrangements. A nice clattering, bleepy top end makes things more interesting but the minimalist structure doesn’t pick up enough steam to make your head spin. Not the strongest of the tracks on the EP it will prove popular with the casual club goer but is unlikely to inspire the die hards. Which is exactly what Onda II is guaranteed to do. Fast paced techno stylings with a relentless, trancey synth is met with a rolling bass line and crashing drum claps. Guaranteed to throw a floor into frenzy Onda II ups the ante considerably and refuses to mellow until the final 40 secs.
Stingray Beats sounds like a mixture of Stingray and La Onda. Not as straight forward as it first seems, the wonky splashes and beats build to a solid and unpredictable club track. Like the release as a whole this is not easy to pigeon-hole and begs close listening and repeat plays.