REVIEW: MOUNT KIMBIE – CARBONATED

Mount Kimbie
Carbonated EP
Hot Flush

What with the restless and ever-changing soundscape of the underground electronic scene, it comes as no surprise that Mount Kimbie have taken a step back from the all-too illusory world of hype, and given themselves some time before plotting a follow up to their critically lauded LP Crooks and Lovers. This measured approach, something that reveals itself in the music that the duo produces, has culminated in the release of their Carbonated EP. As the name suggests, it incorporates Carbonated, the centrepiece track to Crooks and Lovers, as the launch pad for a six track foray into one new release, Flux, one written around the same time as the Maybes EP, Bave’s Chords, and three new remixes.

 
Thankfully, the aesthetic from the LP remains. Each self-written track abounds with tunnels of cavernous, hypnotic loops and ambient samples; a tone that is continued through both the Klaus and Airhead remixes. They both retain the hazy basslines and splashes of colour that have become a staple for Mount Kimbie, and crucially, have managed to preserve the organic nature and sense of space and drift that stretched through the LP. The final track, a remix from techno producer Peter van Hoesen proves to be divisive. While it stands out in terms of class and originality, its style separates itself from the rest of Carbonated, despite arguably being its most polished track. As a whole, the EP’s ethereal qualities are kept in check and, if anything, show the versatility of Carbonated, in being able to be dissected and transformed into a track with its head firmly set for the dance floor.

Words: Lev Harris

Filed under: Bass, dubstep, Electronic, Reviews by D.K.