xxxy - Thinkin Bout/Progression

On xxxy’s latest, a marked sense of yin and yang pervades the release. In Thinkin Bout, the listener is met with the three calling cards of the contemporary bass ‘floor slayer: pitch-bent vocal samples, bold and brash synth riffs and the kind of breakbeat backbone that seems to be omnipresent in this strain of UK dance. There is a lot to lose yourself in, and the track exudes a gleeful aura as it essentially forces a dance out of you.

Progression is the subtler and more seductive A-side. Centred around a frenetic synth score, this number comes imbued with a strong sci-fi feel, as doomed chords fall from the skies at an increasing rate and FX disorientate the listener. While the intro may suggest a lighter tone to its A-side, underpinning the highs is a dark 4/4 groove giving the track its dystopian edge. Off-the-beat 808 claps and sizzling hats add a satisfyingly abrasive textural element to the track. Having one side so unashamedly party-centric and the other side so paranoia-inducingly trippy juxtaposed with each other, xxxy’s range is on point once again.