This collaboration between U-Tern, famous for his knowledge of all things studio related and the closest thing North America has to Todd Terje and AJK, host of Inside Out Radio and one of Vancouver's few DJs whose taste extends past bottle service Dutch house or Felix Cartal-helmed college shows seemed like a natural fit. Two friends who share a love of music that tells a story getting in some studio time to make music because they love it without thoughts of labels or touring. A parting gift to the city they came up in before their respective departures to L.A and Toronto.
"Side Ways" is a masterfully crafted symphony of rising and diving portamento driven chords. A departure from U-Tern's disco roots the track embodies AJK's vision brought to life by U-Tern's know how. The percussion work is also something we haven't heard from U-Tern before so I'm again going to default to AJK's influence. Garage-inspired and full of reverb, syncopated backwards claps catch you off guard as drum fills full of toms and crashes launch one phrase into the next. A drum break at the 5:25 mark give the song a 12" feel as it descends into more ominous chords as the track hits it's outro.
Try not to look a gift horse in the mouth as this one song is all we have from the duo for now. Although we don't see anything else forthcoming anytime soon we'd fully support any future studio endeavors these two may have in store.
