Cargo Records

Of Silence And Secrecy / Angels (Motomasamix)

Canada’s Konspiracy Group team are one of the early pioneers of dubstep across the Atlantic, promoting shows and helping to develop modern bass culture in North America alongside Dub War, Mashit and Smog. Following the success of Konspiracy mainman Kuma's debut 12” on Bristol label Immerse earlier this year, it makes sense that the first slab of wax on the TKG Music imprint comes from the boss.

Recalling the shattered rhythms of early Tempa as much as it does the tribal atmospherics of Dead Can Dance, ‘Of Silence And Secrecy’ is an ethereal floor-killer. If ever “psychedelic garage” was to be dialled up as a musical description, the number is here, as the lush strings and neck snapping snares set things in motion … then the bass drops, and what follows is a full-on future-garage excursion as tribal horns of war call the way to the dancefloor. Alien voices and turntable scratches hasten the journey, but in the end, it's the overwhelming bassline presence that will live longest in the traveller’s memory.

If there’s ever been a more enthralling and transporting rush of syncopated noise made in the name of dubstep, we’d like to know … truly remarkable low-end sounds, born to move both mind and body. Next, Australian dubstep progeny Flippo (Pressing Issues, Formant) takes Kuma’s blueprint and burns it to ashes. Invoking the beatless legacy of Wiley's Devil Mixes, his Omega Point remix rebuilds the track from foundations of lush, narcotic ambience into the kind of tune Godspeed You Black Emperor would write if they ever went to FWD. A crescendo of live drums and epic swathes of distortion create a monster that both Skream and Steve Albini could love. On the flip, mysterious Vancouver drum and bass duo Abunaii are remixed by Canadian house veteran Motomasa. Slowing down the metallic sonorities of the original d&b track ‘Angel’ to a narcotic 808 led skank, this re-rub ends up somewhere between Loefah's minimalist half-step destruction and the wonky lazer basses of Megasoid and Rustie. With a production background wedged deep in the hip hop of Detroit and Atlanta, Motomasa has turned a drum and bass nightmare into a low-slung killer, slinging distorted riffs over Miami bass and the fire and brimstone mutterings of the last man standing at the bar.

For all troopers in the struggle against conservatism in electronic music, these three tracks are sharp weapons indeed, fine-honed at Transition for maximum penetration.