Ben Parris: The Dumbest EP Ever
foundsound

Ben Parris's latest 12-inch is hardly the dumbest EP ever but, instead, a playful breath of fresh air and a solid follow-up to 2005's Double Wimpfighter foundsound debut. Four tracks as per usual, three of them prototypically wacky funk-house jams and one a more subdued cut for the after-hours set. The two sides' openers “Jacqui Cracks On” and “The Dumbest Snuff Ever (For Whitney Joe)” are quintessential foundsound. In the former, voice snippets croak over a minimal house bounce that gradually becomes a skipping swing; breakdowns ensue, allowing alien voices to join the party and deepen the dance-funk vibe. In the second, a marble-mouthed redneck spouts off in a distorted voice about his grandma among other things while myriad noises tumble and clatter over a bass-propelled bounce. Butane then gives “The Dumbest Snuff Ever” the once-over, stripping it down, giving the bass more heft, and removing the voiceover almost completely, making for a more ‘serious' and hypnotic take compared to the original. Quieter moments of percussive gurgle and burble dominate “Distilled Windowsill,” making it sound as if its snippety groove is emanating from an underground reservoir.

April 2007