Spectreview: Laurel Halo – DJ-Kicks
Released: March 22, 2019
Compilation
Dance/Electronic
Club Mix
-GRAY-
DJ-Kicks is a long-running series of EDM compilations put together by guest electronic artists, and the 68th installment features Laurel Halo, whose secretly been creating a portfolio of some of the most impressive electronic-based music of the last decade. Her approach to the club mix involves a mercurial collection of stylistically-varied tracks that maintain a sensibility unique to Halo’s previous works. Coincidentally a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Halo borrows from Detroit techno often, but there are elements of house here that sweeten the pot, like on the resonant “Ana,” the deliciously sinister “Koraimer Bro” and the vibrant title track “Sweetie (DJ-Kicks).” She also takes moments to reference her own output: her use of random arpeggiation and crackling synths on “Plastic PQ” bring to mind the harsh, disquieting “Carcass” on Quarantine, her landmark debut for Hyperdub, while the warped birdsong and reversed sample on “Canto” recall 2017’s vocal-forward Dust. It’s a constantly-shifting record that doesn’t contain too many standout moments (“Bodied (OG Mix)” qualifies here, immediately getting the androids on the floor), but the consistency of quality between each track, combined with its overall cohesiveness, make this a standout DJ comp in general.
Recommended for bionic workouts.
Lives in Seattle, terrible diet, loves music, has hope for people