John Hughes: Immediate Action #011
Hefty

Composing its six tracks entirely on modular synths, John Hughes (aka Slicker) evokes jungles, both exotic and urban, in his solid contribution to the Immediate Action series. The detonating slam of jittery electro-funk dominates the 20-minute EP (“Gull,” “6-Volt Nose Blows”) though Hughes often embeds it within dense fields of simulated animal cries (plus adds typewriter clicks to “Type Fighter” and sirens to the percolating “Moouls 1”). The Hefty head is joined by Eliot Lipp, Jasia 10, and Leo 123 on the disc highlight “Wanna Be Neuro,” with Lipp's synth work in particular boosting the cut's relaxed funk. Hughes slows the pace slightly here, all the better to savour the tune's languorous groove and soulful warmth.

June 2006