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ESP Collective has covered significant ground thus far since its inaugural January release. The fledgling label’s latest offering is a dark techno EP titled Kinetics by Seattle artist NYCO. The five-track effort came out in digital format August 23rd.
Lead synths whose warm resonance counterbalances their jarring disharmony define tracks like “Plasticity,” “Wild Weasel” and the hypnotic “Coordinate.” The title track and “Tungsten,” meanwhile, suffuse dubby chords into their arrangements for a more tranquil effect. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the EP as a whole tells a familiar story with tasteful refinement.
NYCO and the ESP Collective
NYCO’s discography begins with the Ripstop EP, which he self-released in July 2019. His sound signature ranges from acid to fast to peak hour techno, with his latter releases trending toward the dissonance of his latest offering.
Although relatively younger, the ESP collective already boasts a significant musical output. The U.S. label founded by Decoder and Max Watts debuted with the two artists’ collaborative EP Ichi the Terrifier in January 2021. A dozen releases later it counts producers like FORUM, Fletch, Nicolas Vogler and Tzimtzum among its signees.
Purchase Kinetics in digital format via ESP Collective Bandcamp.
