Two of the industry’s most in-demand names, Bjarki and VTSS have joined forces to release a split EP via Hellcat Industries. Chanting From a Tiny Book is a hell-for-leather, yet wholly unserious glimpse into the “modernised sound of 2k20 future stars.”
As one of the figureheads in the modern re-invention of techno, VTSS is no stranger to weaving through genres within her work; her contributions to this latest EP are no different. “Batman Church” leans more towards the EBM side of things, combining a bountiful energy with borderline aggressive vocals to create a track that was made for the confines of a sweaty warehouse and no less. “How to Win Big” is a little bit more acid-y, and a touch trance-y — just about everything you might expect from a VTSS track. A princess of modern rave sounds, Martyna Maja’s contributions to the EP are simply further notches to add the the bedpost of ludicrously great tracks.
Bjarki’s first track on the EP, “Hellfire” immediately takes things up at least five levels. Reaching the nosebleed territory of 155 BPM, there aren’t many artists who can pull off tracks like this without them feeling overwhelming. Of course Bjarki can though — he is the master of all things weird and wonderful in dance music. Like many of his productions, “Hellfire” is largely experimental. It fuses together elements from techno, hardcore and beyond, with a few warped vocals thrown in just for good measure. Whilst “Safety Savage 2” feels almost tame after “Hellfire”, as a stand-alone track this couldn’t be further from the truth. Relentless from the off and paired with ruthless kicks, this is a track which rounds off the EP as impressively as possible.
With Hellcat Industries declaring a focus on “cheeky dance floor bangers,” Chanting From a Tiny Book is about as cheeky as they come when the techno’s this heavy.
Chanting From a Tiny Book can be streamed via Spotify and purchased via Bandcamp.
