The opening track of Kelly "K-Rock" Barnett's imaginatively titled second outing for Rephlex, EP2, has a distinctly "de jour" flavour to it. Heavily influenced by the sound being touted as Croydon's first contribution to music - Grime (or Dubstep, Tech-step, Sub-lo, whatever... I was calling it "2-Step Elec-Tech" when it first came about but noone was with me on that strangely...) you can't help but feel a little uneasy when
hearing it.

It's not so much the band-wagon-jumping aspect; it has more to do with the fact that, to quote a close friend, "Rephlex's association with the Grime scene is a bit like your dad coming round with the new Wiley CD". Fair enough, the Grime compilation gave an opportunity for Plasticman, Mark One and Slaughter Mob to introduce the sound to a wider audience. EP2, however, appears to be an example of letting one of your old hands do a couple of substandard takes on a burgeoning scene then filling out the 5 remaining tracks with "Edgy, Cut & Paste" (others may say poorly produced) Drum & Bass, Booty, Breaks, Disco and Glitch-hop.

On the other hand, if songs that don't go anywhere, three-note bass-lines, obvious use of "Old Skool" stabs, retarded circus music with a toe-tapping beat as well as below-par late-nineties drum and bass are what you're all about - you're in for a treat.

www.rephlex.com

By JB