Spiders [Brainmath]

Brainmath continues to carve out its path as a wonderfully enigmatic label. Its first two releases were both by Zomby: both ‘Rumours & Revelations’ - a tripped-out cousin to Mujava’s ‘Township Funk’ - and ‘Digital Flora’ are diversions from his standard trajectory, excursions into outer- and inner-space respectively. A mysterious character in himself, rarely (if ever) showing up for booked DJ sets and keeping his face and name hidden in the press, it seems appropriate that the label follow his work up with an entirely anonymous 12”.

Even in the realms of dubstep, where anonymity and use of numerous pseudonyms are commonplace and tend to contribute to an ‘all about the music’ attitude, it’s hard not to feel a tangible sense of intrigue as to who has actually produced ‘Spiders’. This is in no small part due to the fact that it seems to gather together tiny shards of a host of different artists yet string them together into something not entirely like anyone else. Early Skull Disco may be the closest reference point – the drums rolls and intermesh like Shackleton, and its metallic grind and hard edges are a little reminiscent of Appleblim’s ‘Fear’ – but in sheer bassweight and all-pervading darkness it is more urban, akin to the cavernous depths of early Loefah.

Either way, the title ‘Spiders’ just about sums the track up. It’s spare and delicate yet ominous, tiny percussive points like the clacking of huge mandibles, barely audible static interference scuttling along like the swift motion of hundreds of alien appendages.

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