It’s always 4am somewhere in the world. Defrostatica continues to join the dots, align the clocks and connect us all with this crucial remix batch of Maltin Worf’s 4AM.
maltinworf.bandcamp.com/album/4am-ep
Released in February on the far-ranging, star-gazing EP of the same name (which also featured the prominent and necessary tones of MC du jour Rider Shafique), the original’s tempo-melting, hurricane euphoria is flipped in five completely different and innovative ways.
From Leipzig to London via Romania and Bristol, a whole menagerie of styles are linked by a cast of artists who are all deeply committed to their craft: Digital, Yazzus, DYL, Tinkah and DJ Detox.
Function bossman Digital takes the lead with a surprise flip to 120 BPM. Never shy of a tempo excursion, the jungle statesman lays down a rolling, rumbling slo-mo breaks piece that’s moodier than a lockdown break-up.
He’s followed by Yazzus. One of the formidable Six Figure Gang – one of the freshest breaths of air London’s experienced in many years – Yazzus builds on her reputation for raved-up scorchers with this thumping, dark tunnel work-out that flips between grizzly breaks and pounding 4/4s. Serious turbo business.
Deeper into the EP trip we fly to Romania for a much darker ‘4am’ experience. Dyl’s stern halftime flavour is wrought with thick waves of tension, soundtracking that universal moment when you accept that what comes up… Must also come down.
Or stay up… as Tinkah would suggest. A Leipzig connection, the HUMAN label bossman offers a sprightly, skittering breakbeat take. Dreamy pads and a wayward groove that stays on the right side of hectic, this is the type of ‘4am’ when you decide to stay up for sunrise (and beyond).
Finally we remain in Leipzig for the conclusive remix from rave wunderkind DJ Detox who keeps things moving with an airy but authoritative Detroitian twist. Marching well beyond the sunrise, whether you’re still awake from the night before or you’ve woken up, this one packs a poignant energy.
Five entirely different perspectives, all connected. ‘4AM’ is universal. You can set your watch by it.