Casey Tucker makes electronic music with too much funk to sit in the same bins as many of its peers. He has always had a soft touch for melody even at his “noisiest” and an undisguised musicality that sets his records apart. Tucker was signed to Plus 8 in the early 1990s, released music on his own Fine Balance Records and was probably best known under the alias VFT (Variable Frequency Technician) and 0733. These were really good records though there weren’t a lot of them. At one time described as a “’90s obscurity” by Resident Advisor and subject of a famous Discogs “WEHT…” thread (“Must be the same aliens who took 303 Nation. At least they had good taste.”) — Tucker has returned to the racks and crates of some of the best DJs in the world in the last several years with several records on For Those Who Knoe and Love Notes. And these records are fire. I can count on one hand the number of producers who did this and have a couple fingers left over.
Tucker christens a new label called Fourier Transform with another new EP, Deep Soul Calm. Tucker has a sound with heavy feet — it’s dense in the way that a full-on band fills a room up with a voice greater than the individual instruments. I don’t know the trick, but it’s brilliant. The title track has a buoyancy, a vibe that feels more celebratory and uplifting. “Identity” carves out its own place on the EP with a nodding melody and a bassline that can’t be constrained. Fourier brings in The Vast Profound to remix the title track on the b-side. This is a very good record from one of the most select discographies in electronic music.
Tracklisting
Casey Tucker: Deep Soul Calm EP (Fourier Transform / 12″ Vinyl / December 2020)
A1. Casey Tucker: “Deep Soul Calm”
B1. Casey Tucker: “Identity”
B2. Casey Tucker: “Deep Soul Calm (The Vast Profound remix)”
This was originally published in 5 Mag issue 185 featuring Tensnake, Joi Cardwell, the Death of the Packard Plant Project, making techno out of political bullshit, the Politik and more. Support 5 Mag by becoming a member for just $1 per issue.
