Matheus - Work The Math

Copious amounts of splatter breaks, rave leads, and bubbling bass lines. Super cracked out jungle. 90s rave puked from a breakcore sound system. Everything sounds crisp and clear. Well chosen samples provide extra energy compelling you to bang your head and simultaneously fluid. Even the more subdued parts are nearly bursting with barely contained energy. More on the jungle side compared to alot of breakcore releases these days. Track four "News Please" starts off with some clever faux-news samples of the raunchy variety which lead nicely into a heavy hitting ravecore banger. While everything is well produced and edited, there is an over use of certain rave-y synths/leads and jungle bass. The usage of said sounds does provide a continuing theme, though a little variation would have stepped things up a notch. The title track "Work The Math" begins with a melancholy string section seemingly promising a path different from the first five tracks, but it quickly falls back in with the vibe of the rest of the album. It would have been awesome to have the initial strings come back in to create a more energized emotionally compelling track. "Yesterday" provides an answer to these problems. Finally breaking away from the themes of the majority of the record, you're reminded of greats like Squarepusher and Wisp. Emotionally stirring arrangements and spot on vocal sampling backed with nicely edited breaks which are a tad more toned down. THis blends into a beautiful entity. "Serious" also breaks away from the standard sound of the release. It begins with a playful IDM ditty that eventually evolves into a pretty hard and dark breakcore jam. "Unknown Vibes" is wonderfully jazzy, another instance where we are reminded of Squarepusher's apparent influence on Matheus. That said, this is no rip off. The rhodes get trippy in delay land having fun playing with all their panning partners in crime. Hi-hats and rides dance between your ears swinging back and forth while snares set the pace and the rhodes piano continues to soothe and make things rather stoney. "Work The Math" ends with "The End of the Beginning", a distinctly Matheus breakcore banger clocking in at just over ten minutes long. The real stand-out tracks have to be "Yesterday" and "Unknown Vibes". Despite the fact you may be reminded of other talented artists, they are unique to Matheus and reveal sounds and potential that will keep you wondering how Matheus will grow in future releases. "Work The Math" is a solid full length of breakcore tinged jungle with the odd IDM flourishes that will keep you coming back to the Matheus trough for more. Co-released by Sociopath Recordings and Core Collective Records. Core Collective Records is co-owned by Matheus and another great UK producer, MATT:Scratch.

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