Smart music can still be fun. Ace techno prankster Fred Giannelli has delivered a multi-flavoured EP of groovy mid-Atlantic hip-swivellers that’s very satisfying.

Tracklisting
a1. Distant Gratification
b1. Delirious
b2. Prescience

“Distant Gratification” offers the unsettling sensation of two machines slowly meshing together, but in a wholly unexpected way. Deeply comforting funk melodies merge with off-kilter kicks before submerging in supremely delicate acid squelches. Propelled by insistent syncopated synths and beats, this cut unfolds into sinuous, arcing, slow motion grooves that are immensely intricate and fascinating while simultaneously being deliciously beguiling and soft. Some say it’s the missing link between Metro Area and Kraftwerk; we say it’s a killer early-set track.

The rest of the EP is just as appetising. “Delirious” is tough, electrifying, machine funk. Crucially, it re-injects disco magic into the swinging Chi-town formula, dropping monstrous minimal techno bass lines that have been pimped up in Studio 54. It’s the sound of a glitter ball being hit by a sniper’s laser. “Prescience” is an exemplary slice of minimal tech-funk which updates the hypnotic groove template with insect noise electronics.

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