Pangaea, aka Kevin McAuley, one third of Hessle Audio, is set to release a brand new double EP through Hessle Audio on 29th October. It’s entitled Release and features 8 tracks, split across two vinyl LPs (and also released on CD). As well as being the most in-depth single artist record Hessle have released thus far, it’s also McAuley’s longest record to date.
Pangaea’s been among the most interesting and forward-thinking producers making dance music in the UK over the last few years. Initially starting off at dubstep tempo, though with definite hints of two-step and techno creeping in around the edges, his sound has steadily dissipated outwards to encompass a wide variety of influences. More recent singles have had a particularly ravey, pirate radio-rooted feel to them, and the tracks on Release largely encompass a particularly predatory form of steppers’ techno, beset by voice samples and whipping sub-bass.
His recent remix of West Norwood Cassette Library, which landed in our favourite dance tracks of the year so far list, gives some idea of what to expect (you can listen to it in our Hyperspecific Midterm mix here). We called it: "a sweet and sad creature that summons up the ghosts of old skool rave to soundtrack a footwork party, is so angular it’s hard to figure out quite how you’re supposed to dance to it."
In the text accompanying Release, it’s described as a "swung and sub-heavy vision of UK techno, informed by a love of pirate radio and sound-system music. So instead of remaining locked to a four-to-the-floor pulse, rhythms are splayed outwards into vortices – swirling assemblages of kicks, woodblocks and shrapnel that weave in and around one another."
Release‘s tracklist runs as follows:
‘Game’
‘Release’
‘Trouble’
‘Majestic 12’
‘Time Bomb’
‘Middleman’
‘Aware’
‘High’
