Gunnar Haslam: Margareten Vinyl 12″

Gunnar Haslam has shown that he’s adept at a wide variety of styles. After the ambient excursion of “Let One Hundred Flowers Bloom,” Haslam is back on Mister Saturday Night with three tracks aimed more squarely at the dance floor. Opener “Poshlost” might be my favorite of the lot. Dubby chords ride over a simple, percussive beat as the track shifts through its different phases. Things take a more acidified turn with title track which features a heavy 303-ish bassline that eventually gives way to a lilting piano refrain. Taking up the entirety of the B side, “Replacement” rides somewhere between the two proceeding tracks. The dubby chords are there, taking their time before letting supremely heavy bass in on the scene. It’s intense and contemplative at the same time. A perfect antidote to the more jacked up material that is out there these days.

• music label: Mister Saturday Night 2015

reviewed by Joey Coco 06/2015