Planet Mu, 2002
Vsnares has been churning out a slew of punishing drill and bass records of late, and it’s about time I covered one of them. This particular release is quintessential Aaron Funk, with frantic snare rushes and bursts of painful sound. The opening track, “Dance Like You’re Selling Nails,” includes a few surprising melodic elements, conveyed with piano, out-of-tune horns, and all manner of quasi-operatic vocal bursts. “Banana Seat Girl” is pure chopped-up funk until a jazz lick and flute flit playfully over speedy drum-rolls. Finally, with “Dismantling Five Years” and “We Are Oceans,” Funk proves he can do gorgeously melodic compositions too (although the latter track gets pretty wild towards its middle).
Recent Venetian Snares reminds me of the energy of Squarepusher’s early output. Amongst a superb (if sometimes shocking) raucousness are moments of great beauty.