4 out of 5

Label: Rephlex

Produced by: Ed DMX

Approximately towards the end of the first relative “phase” of DMX Krew, with Ed Upton iterating upon kitsch and early club to define his own straight-faced version of funk, the artist unleashed a multi-part series of (awesome) oddities that were possibly a purposeful inversion of what came before: applying his minimalist style – no more than necessary to create a body-moving beat – to minimalism. ‘The Collapse of the Wave Function’ releases were a major hint that Ed would be around for a while, capably flexing his approach to include a range of electro styles, such that you can hear something quite far, stylistically, from another release of his, and if not identify it right away, nod, and think – yeah, that makes sense.

Volume 4 of this series (scattered across LPs and singles) is stripped down, moody stuff. The tracks sit in the realm of the darker beats Ed has crafted, verging on horror themes when melodies turn more aggressive and synth driven towards the end of the A-side. Throughout, you’ll find bass-driven tracks, approaching downbeat groove but kept edgy with spotted ambience; unsettling pivots in the tune, or telltale synth flourishes that mark the work as Ed’s, as always showing that you don’t need to be especially flashy to create something engrossing, and deep.

Things shift towards acid – a bit of squelch – and then the beat becomes dub in the B-side, a necessary ante up as I’d allow that the tracks start to feel a bit like a formula after a fashion, especially once they tick over four minutes. That said, it’s a fair trade for having every track’s beat be so distinct and instantly head-bobbing.

In a surely dumbed down explanation of wave collapse, it’s the observation effect: possibilities pare off for the singular version you witness. That loose definition does align with the music version, though, as Ed boils down all the possibilities of his music to a core – no surprise that that singular version proves to have a ton of impact.