Seladorโs 26th release sees the return of Justin Massei, following up contributions to the labelโs Showcase compilations with his first full release. Remixes come from Seladorโs own Dave Seaman and Welsh producer Third Son.
Iโm more of a fan of the melodic side of Seladorโs output, but that doesnโt mean I canโt appreciate a good slice of filth when I hear it. โNothing Can Hideโ is just that โ a dirty, techy murky ride full of mechanical grooves, heavily processed vocal samples, and stabbing bassy blasts. The breakdown features simple gothic-sounding synths that keep the mood dark and paranoid, before itโs straight back to business.
Dave Seamanโs take on Justin Masseiโs track has a tighter and cleaner sound, and it builds quickly with a wicked pulsing bassline, an urgent, wonked out lead synth, and lovely chattering high-hat work. The vocals and other parts from the original are used really effectively here, and overall I preferred this version a lot; Seaman manages to take the best of Justin Masseiโs ideas while injecting an infectious energy into proceedings.
I like Third Sonโs remix still more though. He keeps the dark, grungey feel at the low end of the track with a growling, groovy bassline, but up top he adds layers of glassy, glistening melodies. The mid-section sticks a bit more closely to the sounds and mood of Justin Masseiโs original, though the melodies return to brighten up the track during the breakdown and the final two minutes. The combination of sweetness and darkness reminds me of Third Sonโs Selador label-mates HearThuG and Daryln Vlys โ absolutely superb stuff from this exciting young producer here.
Itโs back to Justin Massei for the final word, with his second original โThe Creatorโ. If anything, this is even harder and darker in feel than the title track, with some weird effects and the occasional vocal sample the only ornaments on a relentless, cavernous techno stomp. This is just a little too minimalist for my tastes, I have to admit, though I can readily imagine it really rocking the right crowd at the right moment.
Itโs easy to forget that itโs only taken a little over two years for Dave Seaman and Steve Parry to turn Selador from an idea they were kicking around between themย into one of the most essential and respected labels out there. This latest release from Justin Massei continues their strong run in 2015, with Third Son providing my personal favourite of the offerings here.
