Hearthug, Sohrab, Jeku & Cousin Witness 01

Casting its net far and wide, from Australia to Finland, via the UK and Tunisia, One Eye Witness’ maiden VA drop gathers a quartet of the international producers who’ve come to pique our interest in recent months. Starting with Tunis-based up-and-comer HearThug, who steps up with “Alien All Too Alien” - a steadily pulsatory, 303-marinated dasher interlarded with flocks of pugnacious talk box stabs and rattling drums, making it a proper DJ-friendly weapon for any hour of the day. Helsinki’s Jeku follows up with the tribal acid churner ‘Aftermath’, laying down a sleek, sub-heavy earworm prepped on submerging systems from under the deepest layers of the spectrum with its fluttering melody, sturdy basswork and FX-laden synthesis. Flip the coin over and here goes London-based groove manipulator Sohrab, entering the melee with ‘Ataraxia’ - a hypnotic slice of stealth mode, Gaussian-blurred dub techno that does exactly what’s written on the tin. The final number ’Surrender’ comes courtesy of rising Sydney-based producer Cousin, who treats us to a tripped-out ethereal riddim making the rounds betwixt the vaporous serenity of ambient and deep dub vibrations. The endearing final brushstroke to OEW’s first Zeitgeistian snapshot.