Subtension – Nestbox EP is fantastic!
Critical drum & bass imprint Cause4concern know how to make their presence felt . Having ended 2017 on a climatic release from rising stalwart Akov, who proudly stepped up the label’s hold over the scene’s most unrelenting newcomers, they return with another output which solidifies how imperative they’ve come within its very fabric. Slovakian based producer Subtension is the next artist to slide into C4C’s crucial roster, bringing with him a four-track offering which is sure to orchestrate sub-littered damage over the months to come
The Nestbox EP highlights the wide ranging scope of a label like Cause4Concern. Yet again the label retains its snapping reputation, cutting forward with only the hungriest of newcomers. And together with the likes of Subtension, they’ve continued this pattern, proving that time after time they’re just as destructive as they were when they first affirmed themselves as a founding part of neurofunk. Title-track ‘Nestbox’ straight away underline Subtension’s ingenious take on drum & bass production. It’s sci-fi inspired sonics, ticking instrumentals, wooden drum pads and ticking bass stabs draw the track into an undeniable groove, one which oozes with a dancefloor edge whilst shifting from layer to layer. ‘Left Handed’ pulls out the clacking percussive streams which filter through each channel, gradually bringing you across step by step until its breakdown finally leaves you freefalling into a fluctuating bassline. Up next, Dephzac joins Subtension for collaborative track ‘Tomb Diver’, staying true to form with a deeply lined composition and subterranean bass-levels. Each segment pushes you further and further beneath the surface, never allowing you to come up for air. And then comes ‘Polar’, a more intimate finisher which introduces you through a dainty littering of melodies before the track rolls out with more hard-hitting drum rhythms. It’s of a softer hue, adding diversity to the C4C roster and back catalogue, helping to demonstrate how they became such renowned figures.
Alongside groundbreaking releases like the one provided by Subtension, they’ve held their domination since the label first came in to power. This is something they’re sure to uphold, still pushing the bar with every release.
