Graze

Exploring the underlying connections between forward-thinking bass music and deep techno may feel like a natural evolution, but few have done it as well as New Kanada boss Adam Marshall and Toronto, ON dubstep-turned-house-producer Christian Andersen's (aka XI) new project, Graze. Tracks like "The Sust" and "Cathode Bias" are anchored by complex, skittering drum patterns and subterranean bass that barely allow the underlying melodies to squeeze through, while Marshall and Andersen coax out analog synths lines that add to the unnerving ambience. The duo's tracks never get overpowered by the low end, letting more straightforward cuts like "No Save" and "Ques" balance out the EP, while also allowing the Canadian producers time to focus on subtle movements of sound and the nuances of the drums. Marshall and Andersen artfully zero in on elements of garage, techno and house, making N.K.42 impossible to ignore.