- ZSAGI is the sixth installment of a 12-part, vinyl-only series from Klasse Recordings sub-label Zodiac 44, which will release one record for each sign of the zodiac before calling it quits. This four-tracker from prolific hardware specialist DMX Krew is the Sagittarius edition, though the theme seems to mean little, if anything at all, to the music. And that's more than OK: both sides thrive without the conceptual baggage. ZSAGI delivers a comprehensive range of acid- and electro-laced techno that could inject some exceptional sci-fi grit into nearly any point of a DJ session.
"Left Ventricle" is the big heater, tapping into a heavy 4/4 that makes quick work of its 140 BPM acid groove. Those twisted patterns are soon joined by a simple pad melody that gracefully adds depth and dynamics. Gears shift down almost 20 BPM for the other A-side cut, "Beguiling," but the tune is no less effective. The wonky, plodding bounce touches on some amusing strangeness when paired with drum breaks and a discordant synth loop. It's good to see DMX Krew still has his sense of humor.
The B-side ultimately steals the show, however, with electro roller "Closed System" leading the charge. That track's industrial-strength drums, chintzy synth strings and oily bass sequences are pure old-school pleasure (think Gesloten Cirkel without the distortion), and their combined powers will give any dance floor a menacing overtone. Perhaps the most surprising inclusion, "Unbridled" hearkens back to Rephlex's heyday with a sound somewhere between electro and IDM. It's the least immediately danceable track on ZSAGI, but its presence—in all the stuttered, mysterious unruliness—elevates the 12-inch from pure club fodder to a must-have for DMX Krew aficionados.
TracklistA1 Left Ventricle
A2 Beguiling
B1 Closed System
B2 Unbridled