Slackk - 'Raw Missions' EP

Liverpool native Slackk has made Local Action Records one of his label homes (another one is Numbers), recently releasing his latest ‘Raw Missions’ EP with them. Having previously run the grime based blog that archived old radio rips of grime, Grime Tapes, it’s clear the heavy, realist genre has always been a notable influence for the northerner. There’s a very obvious reference to grime in ‘Raw Missions’ especially after track one, but you can also see his evolved musical knowledge – the whole thing plays around with bouncy house and garage beats amongst a whole load of other experimental noises that can’t really be pinned down. Another separation these four tracks take from grime is the fact they’re all instrumental, subsequently allowing full focus to fall on Slackk’s production, as opposed to featuring MCs that normally take front row seats in grime tunes.

It opens with Blue Sleet, a melodic high-end synth track that ends on a deeper note, but isn’t brash at all unlike its follow-up, 90 Years. This one comes in with a much heavier tone, complete with dark vocal sampling and a repetitive (and slighty jarring) laser sound. Third up is Slack City that brings with it a satisfying hip hop beat layered with synths; and culminating the EP is Almost Transparent, the grimey-est of them all, a deep rolling base topped with a recurring mini-melody of keys. Definitely one to take a listen to if the darker side of electronic is your thing.

Below is the stream for clips from the four tunes on ‘Raw Missions’, via Local Action Records’ Soundcloud.