k?d has spent years building this whole sci-fi mythology around his project, the lost-in-space visuals and the question-mark name, and the funny thing is the music usually backs up the theater. “breathe” pairs him with Nevve, who has quietly sung on half the melodic dance records you’ve loved without ever getting the credit, and she’s the secret weapon again here. The track opens like it’s going to be a gentle one and then the drop arrives with teeth, that crunchy melodic dubstep snarl that k?d does better than almost anyone working right now. What keeps it from being just another loud-soft-loud exercise is the detail in the sound design, little vocal chops and synth flickers buzzing around the edges like static off a screen. Nevve’s hook gives you something human to hold while the production goes full robot around her. I’ve been a sucker for this corner of bass music since I was a teenager and a lot of it has curdled into formula, but k?d still sounds like he’s actually excited to be making it. The energy is contagious. Loud, weird, and a little bit beautiful.
January
Chrome Daydream
Chrome stars, jelly hearts and holographic colour. A nod to the glossy, optimistic graphics of the early web.