Electronic music is drowning in a sea of bad takes, 10 year old memes and music so indistinguishable that it you could rip the names off and paste them back on at random and even the people that make that shit wouldn’t know the difference. The underground has its own mainstream, and it’s even more boring than EDM.
Naive has an antidote to death-by-tedium and they’ve been spreading it around. There’s a big fat dose of it on Ilana Bryne’s new EP Strange Adventure. “Exclusive Shit Holds No Weight” leads it off and then stops short — it drops out at :50 in, and instantly the mood transforms from nodding to totally engrossing. The last producer I heard who pulled the rug out like this was Spencer Kincy and the soul of Gemini is lingering in this track, fucking around with some early +8 cut outs he swiped out Acquaviva’s crate when he wasn’t looking. Another strong similarity here is Gene Hunt, whose music’s most attractive qualities for me — it’s daring and experimental flourishes, disciplined into grooves that never flop on a dancefloor — are the aspects most often overlooked.
For a brand new sentence, try this one: “‘Theoretical Medical Genitals’ is my jam.” The ecstatic breaks in Russell E L Butler’s remix will give you a reason to stay awake just one more hour.
Ilana Bryne: Strange Adventure / Naive (May 15 2020 / 12″ Vinyl/Digital)
1. Ilana Bryne – Exclusive Shit Holds No Weight (05:58)
2. Ilana Bryne – I Used To Love T.H.E.M. (06:04)
3. Ilana Bryne – Theoretic Medical Genitals (05:32)
4. Ilana Bryne – Theoretic Medical Genitals (Russell E.L. Butler’s Booty Mix) (08:11)
5. Ilana Bryne – Lemme C U Squiggle (digital bonus) (05:25)
Originally published in 5 Mag issue 181: A Tribute to Mike Huckaby. Support 5 Mag by becoming a member for just $1 per issue.
