Cacophonous Bling

Title: Synaptic Shadows: A Journey Through The Circuit

Artist: Hackney Electronica

Label: Dark Entries

Cat Number: DE-338

Genre: Electronica Innit

1: H.E. Nuestro Circuito

2: Efecto Perfecto

3: The One

4: Whispers From The Depths

5: Nueva Ola

Hackney Electronica are Quinn Whalley (Paranoid London), Unai Trotti (Cartulis Music), and Margo Broom (Hermitage Working Studios), who got together during lockdown to make “ acidic rave-inflected wave.” Soi if that’s what this is, it’s really rather good. There is a variety of moods and tempos on show: ‘H.E. Nuestro Circuito’ souhnds like something the BBC Radiophonic Workshop might have made in collaboration with Anthony Rother. However, for the most part, we duck and dive through various takes on electro and breaks until it’s difficult to tell the difference. This mainly down to the respective heaviness of each track, with ‘Efecto Perfecto’ being a point at which thud, funk and eloquence combine. ‘The One’ is a little lighter, but not that different sonically speaking. There’s more room to manoeuvre between the beats, but the dark arts necessary to be learnt in order to assemble such a symphony are pervasive. ‘Whispers From The Depths’ sounds like it could be your token Drexciya hommage, and maybe it is. However, I doubt it. It sounds more like the soundtrack to Prometheus having his liver pecked at. The paranoid, smeared electro of ‘Nueva Ola’ rounds things off, taking things deeper and more haunted still, adding to the general veil of uncertainty that comes free of charge to the listener in the process. All good this.