Polyklinik
Following strong and widely praised releases from two other emerging talents, BNJMN and Nightwave, Svetlana is proud to present the debut recording from Hungarian producer Polyklinik.
Budapest native Matyas Lendvai is an elusive character. He doesn't turn up for photo shoots, he amasses analogue synths and drum machines, he only likes to meet in public places, and he’s one of the most organic music makers you’ll ever come across. Svetlana first hooked him up back in 2008, high on discovering dubstep and exploring the Balkans for fellow travellers. Matyas was experiencing a similar epiphany:
"2007 was a wonderful year. A lot of new clubs opened and there was electronic music everywhere. At the time I listened to a lot of old school electro and techno. Then a friend brought this DJ girl to my house and she brought some dustup records: early Digital Mystikz, Skream, Benga etc. So I discovered the music physically, in my home."
Over the last three or four years his music has mutated from optimistic dubstep to something steadily grittier, murkier and more caustic. This EP attempts to chart that development.
The lack of a real dubstep scene in Hungary led Matyas to develop his sound in isolation, and accounts for his individualistic approach. When the sound at the time was dark and deep, his pieces were melodic and synthy, and the fact that he doesn’t think in terms of genres soon became apparent.
Alert represents the earlier Polyklinik: tuneful and bouncy, with a delirious Doctor Who style theme lifting the tune about halfway through. Likhan's remix of Abrakadabra dates from the same period. It's a stealth track, initially laid-back but building increasing momentum, until you suddenly realise about halfway that it's absolutely banging, the 4/4 bass giving it huge momentum. Older dubstep heads will recognise Likhan from legendary French label 7even, a highly influential label who were pursuing a similar organic blissed out sound.
Good Evening, Az and Vermona showcase the direction Polyklinik has been moving in since. The tempos are drawn from hip hop and the beats scene, but the sound is far away from chopped up vocals and jazzy beats born in Californian sunshine. This is intense, soupy stuff, music from a country mired in financial crisis and toxic red sludge.
The tunes are largely improvised: standout track Vermona was born of a jam on a 1970s drum machine Matyas stole from his girlfriend's father, then recorded, distorted and "Africanised". It's this kind of approach that means, in a world where music becomes rapidly generic, Polyklinik doesn't sound like anyone else. This makes him hard to write about but good to listen to, and that's the main thing, after all.
His debut release drops on Svetlana on 10/10/2011.
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