Cédric Dekowski & Felix Reifenberg – El Peportile EP

Label: 87 RecordsScore: 8/10 

If you’ve followed the various travails of the Jacuzzi Boys over the years, then you’ll know all too well that theirs is a sound that’s tough to pigeonhole at the best of times. The latest release from their 87 Records imprint is a raw and often primitive sounding three-tracker that comes courtesy of Cédric Dekowski & Felix Reifenberg. Yes, it rarely lets light in and is crafted on an eerie, almost minimal aesthetic, but that, we gather, is precisely the point.

The El Reportile EP then, kicks off with the assured sound of ‘Matzerium’ taking centre stage. Rubbery kicks and spooky melodies lurk beneath a smidgen of zippy synths, and while it follows a fairly strident path, it’s still a path that’s laden with ominous twists and turns from start to finish. Something of an after-party beast, this one need only be let out of the bag at the most opportune of times.

‘Breakoutbatlefield’ is another nimble and dexterous affair, the likes of which snaps, crackles and pops at various intervals. Full of hidden delights and supple, subtle crevices, it’s a track that’s very much worth exploring. Each time you hear it in fact, it’s likely to force a different impression. The B-side is comprised of ‘Tatsi’, a slightly more spirited gem that’s charming thanks to its sporadic melodic hits and a relentless aesthetic that’ll delight Ricardo Villalobos & co thanks to its unwavering dedication to the abstract.