Freq EP - The Shen (Shen Music)

 

Title: Freq EP 

Artist: The Shen

Label: Shen Music 

Cat Number: SM001

Genre: Deep House

1: I Miss You

2: Everybody

3: New Day

4: Freq

The Shen, rather like The Stig, feels like an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, parcelled up in preposterousness. However, unlike (his/her/their) slightly more famous simulacrum, The Shen speaks through the medium of jack. Pounding percussion, along with vocal cut ups, are a common factor across most of the landscape of these tracks, but there’s nuance as well. ‘New Day’ is probably the most restrained, but every feature amplifies itself regardless. Another melodic distraction is the off-key, slightly abstract keyboard noodling, that is pervasive across the package. And, together with the aformentioned elements, a wonderfully, minimal layering occurs, the result of which is a coalescence of the minimal, warehouse sound, something that draws heavily on Relief, Cajual, Murk but, more than anything else, Mood II Swing and Basic Channel. This is the nuts from start to finish and  the best thing I’ve been sent since break beats started going out of fashion (thankfully).