- With each EP they produce, Alex Jones and Glimpse give us something different amid the pummeling techno they're building a reputation for. On Dense & Pika's third release for Hotflush, the head-turner is the lead track, "Colt." The crushing kicks that open it may hint at a journey to the darkside, but they're very swiftly joined by a plaintive piano riff, which sounds like its been culled from some early Chicago house track, secreting emotion with every key. A barnstorming bassline, distorted snares, ghostly strings and space—lots of it—add up to as an emotionally-charged techno record that you'll hear all year.
The other three tracks don't stir up such a sentimental response, with two of them taking a more straight-ahead approach. In the case of "Black Deep," diabolic vocals, heavy stabbed bass and a chopper blade rhythm combine to elicit a far more brutal reaction, while "Vomee" hangs atmospheric growls, electro burps and intense snares on a mid-paced groove. Recorded live in one take, "Airless" is Dense & Pika at their most experimental, stitching together tribal percussion, blasts of eerie woodwind and frazzled modular synths.
TracklistA1 Colt
A2 Black Deep
B1 Vomee
B2 Airless (Live)