SHDW & Obscure Shape - Basic Instinct [Mutual Rytm]

SHDW & Obscure Shape are back, following their debut release on their main imprint From Another Mind. The German duo's latest release, 'Basic Instinct', is a collection of five dancefloor anthems providing the perfect soundtrack for any moment of a set. The EP features their signature die-cut sleeve and includes an additional digital track.

'Basic Instinct' is the twelfth installment on their Mutual Rytm imprint and highlights the duo's exceptional production skills and innovative approach to electronic music, with a blend of old and new school flavors, vivid drum programming, organic percussion, and captivating melodic elements. Side A opens with their characteristic track 'Eraser', which pairs crisp percussion with a warm sub-bass and penetrating synth stabs. 'Dancer in the Dark' delves deeper into nocturnal territory, combining lush dub-influenced synths with a rolling acid bassline. 'Disturbing Behavior' closes out side A and showcases why the 303 has become such an iconic tool for producers. Despite sirens dominating the breakdown moments, the simple two-tone acid punch is the defining element of the track, complemented by amen-break style drums that hint at a direction towards British rave.

Side B takes a different direction, with 'Memories of Nobody' adopting a filtered, less aggressive approach, as resonant dub pads cluster around a combination of growling bassline and kick drum, topped off with brushed high-hats. The EP concludes with 'The Last Seduction', a track that reveals the full organic breadth of the previously hinted-at amen-break. The fusion of said amen-break with the warmth and familiarity of rising and falling pads evokes the golden days of electronic music.