Review: Kommand + Kontrol - 'It Hz'

Kommand + Kontrol 
'It Hz' 
SELF-RELEASED 

Kommand + Kontrol's blend of sleek modern sounds and old school song structures has been turning heads since the duo released their début EP, 'Dead Ground Ahead', in 2009. Now they return with their most overtly dance orientated offering yet in the form of 'It Hz'.

After a slow and sinister intro the title track kicks things off with a generous blend of samples, steady dance beats and a chopped-up feel that evokes the likes of deadmau5 and is utterly compelling. 'Exceed-Excel' follows on in a similar fashion, again focussing on that choppy style with a strong synth bass running all the way through, while 'Gods+Monsters' sees the filthy electronics joined by some guitars, which until now have taken a back seat. The final track 'Sky God' doesn't altogether dispense with the underlying formula of the EP, but is a little more minimal in it's execution compared to it's predecessors. As with most EPs these days, things are rounded off with some remixes. And as you'd expect, they are suitably club-friendly as well, in particular XP8's take on the excellent 'Watched By Machines'. All this adds up for pretty much an ideal selection for any Disc Jockey's arsenal.

It's nice to hear K+K really dive headlong into making a dance EP and up shake their formula a little. As DJs themselves, they've always created music that appeals to both club and live audiences. But mixing things up in this way and giving the guitars and vocals a back seat shows another side to what is already a very strong sound. It's going to be very exciting to see where these guys go on their long-awaited full-length début after a curve ball such as this.

Posted in: It Hz,Kommand and Kontrol,music