- The second two-track 12-inch by Black Sites (Helena Hauff and F#x) arrives over a year after they debuted with Prototype, a record teeming with twitchy synth sequences, relentless 909s and crackling distortion. The interim hasn't affected their sound much, though: both "Unit 2669" and "Москва" ("Moscow") would have complemented the last EP's sprightly noise-techno style. All 25 minutes of Unit 2669 assault the senses in merciless and cryptic ways.
"Unit 2669" approaches a kind of hallucinogenic nausea as it weaves together endless patterns of percussive synths and 303 notes until it all tightens like a vice around your head. It's not until the final two minutes, when the noise subsides, that it becomes clear just how oppressive the track's underlying feedback is—though the mangled cacophony quickly resurfaces on the flip. The pair indulge their more experimental tendencies on "Москва," a freeform glut of rhythmic noise. Anxious and curious in equal measure, Black Sites don't completely abandon the dance floor, but rather attempt to redefine what makes a useful club track. Whether or not they've succeeded might depend on how willing you are to succumb to them.
TracklistA1 Unit 2669
B1 Mockba