West Coast EP

East London grime producer D. O. K has been something like Terror Danjah’s evil twin since the early 2000’s, when Terror and D. O. K. shared many EPs and production credits together on key early grime label Aftershock. More recently, they worked together on ‘Pro Plus’ from Terror’s recent ‘Undeniable’ album, and D. O. K.’s ‘Golden Axe’ EP was the inaugural release last summer on Terror’s own Hardrive imprint. These tracks for his debut solo Hyperdub EP are sleazily deranged grime; ‘West Coast’, which features extra input from Terror Danjah, has a half-time, low-riding head-nod feel that references classic G-Funk “funky worm” style lead synth, and manages to sound simultaneously melodic and like a swarm of angry wasps. He lays this basic template over a complex stop-start detailed eight bar style pattern that reminds of the jagged edges of early computer game music, but with the strange swing and double-time fills of a prime Timbaland record. ‘West Coast VIP’ keeps the funky worm feeling but changes the melody. The track is hyperactive, adding in fidgety edits, scratches, and enough rhythmic trap doors to keep DJs on their toes, over off-beat chords that recall dub reggae. ‘East Coast’ is a track with the essential schizophrenic twists of classic eight bar grime. A stiff electro beat and a wiry melody breaks down into speaker trashing bass, steely claps and brass, with a brutish energy that is extremely welcome.