Critiques CD: TNGHT | TNGHT

Lately, we’ve been privy to inspired electronic output by musicians who seem averse to vowel inclusion – SBTRKT, Weeknd, TRST… After listening to TNGHT, the eponymous debut EP collab between Glaswegian mastermind Hudson Mohawke and Montreal crunk-hop maestro Lunice, I’m beginning to think perhaps dropping some a’s and e’s could be Kaskade and Swedish House Mafia’s saving grace. (Don’t hold your breath, there…) TNGHT delivers avant-garde, unhinged instrumental hip-hop at its best – the kind that relishes in colossal bass structures that embrace the bombast but never just crank it up for a quick fix. The five tracks’ pounding builds and playful drops chop, rattle and loop from a wide-ranging catalogue of trap beats, ambient dubstep, bass bangers, future garage and an array of samples it might take a few listens to decipher (Wait – happy baby coos? popping bubbles? a synthed-out tuba? BONKERS!) My only tiny caveat is that “Top Floor” should have gone on for longer. Given that Lunice and Hudson collaborate with heavyweights like Diplo and Kanye, respectively, you can be sure people will take stock of this bite-sized gem. There’s already talk of another version of TNGHT, with MCs brought on board to supplement the tracks. I trust the choice of lyricists will be just as irreproachable as the production. In the meantime, dust off those subwoofers already for TNGHT’s eerie textures, moody bass kicks and burpy horns.