The way the smoky, reverb-soaked guitar plucks of ”I Ain’t Gonna Be The First To Cry” hoovers over a subtle, deep bass groove doesn’t sound far removed from that Darkside accomplished on their brilliant Psychic from last year. And likewise, Bob Moses, the Brooklyn based Canadian duo of Jimmy Vallance and Tom Howie, attains a sense of retro-futurism that sounds fresh and electrifying, while at the same time, taking me back to the dub-y, minimal rhythms of early 00’s tech-house – think acts like Swayzak – along with the doldrums and hushed ambience of mid-90’s trip hop records.
There is a dim-lit sexual energy that wheedles forward in an upward stream until it reaches a transfixing state of clashing guitars and stinging hi hats. It’s a glorious moment, the sort of sly, nervy groove that propels far beyond anything the duo achieved on their previous two EP’s. First To Cry, a two track EP is out on June 17 via Domino.
