Federico Grazzini & Remo – Cigarette for Breakfast

Label: CITYLOWScore: 7/10 

The Citylow label has long been a clued-in source for sounds of an analogue persuasion. A no-fuss, no-compromise label of some distinction, the label brands itself as a ‘pure analogue label, with no loops or samples’. On their latest, they draft in a man who’s adept at crafting such sounds, Federico Grazzini. The Zoo/Tenax resident has been keeping busy on the production front of late, but the wonderfully named ‘Cigarette for Breakfast’ EP – a collaboration with Remo – is indicative of some of his best work to date.

On the original, we’re greeted by an uncompromising swell of white noise, before an engulfing alarm sound gradually brings the intensity up a notch. The muffled vocals add a sense of unease into the equation, and by the time the haunting bassline rears its head, we’re truly captivated. Italian duo Doomwork keep the vocal in check, and do little more than add an extra layer of percussive wares to the fray. F.T.G. and Alex Tea’s culminating effort is another highlight. The boys serve up the most ominous of the litter, as they allow a mound of acid to wreck havoc underneath as they twist the vocal inside out in the process. A really spirited EP, this one is sure to raise a few eyebrows on the dancefloor.