What? by Spenza

The question, What?, begs for an answer as diverse as the kaleidoscope of situations and possibilities that precede it. It is no wonder then, that in his first album release to the world, on label Kwiksnax, Spenza, delivers a collection of tracks which bears the same name which quite rightly ranges in sound and emotion to reflect his everyday interactions with people, equipment, places and society at large - all of which he quite rightly tips his production hat to as being Chose which inspired him to make it in the first place. In fact, in yet another bid to communicate his answer to, What?, to the music listening public, Spenza has decided to give his album away for free as he wants those who had a hand in creating it to get some credit, too.

In fact, when clicking the play button, you instantly feel as if Spenza is reaching through your speakers and extending a hand of thanks to you for lending your ears and mind. Beginning with punchy and hard-hitting track Planet Juice, where each beat sucks your shoes clean in their insistence, before embarking onto Double Bubble, where you'll be sure you see glances from the likes of Human League's Philip Oakey domino dancing from side to side with anticipation and lipstick smears, Spenza then stands you upright and marches you in lines of sharp beats in Faceland, where you're met by stacks of sharp beats in frenzies all designed to make sure you're sitting upright, taking notes and listening to a tale that is very notably being told from two very flamboyant sides. Just when you think the boat of equally elaborate tones and blips can't ride on anymore of a more choppy landscape, then comes alone Shatterhand and title track, What?, to which Spenza lends his voice (personally), to give his own interpretation of the question before gathering pace to the aptly named, Take Me To Your Leader, that in itself houses sounds that impersonate life - but not as we (earthlings) know it. Demi boasts you romantically away from your inhibitions with its latin flavors whilst the following sweet nothings of Ting Ting is sure to remind you of a time and a place where you knew you probably shouldn't have been but through its seductively sweet traces you can't help but give yourself over to before letting out the mournful, yet entirely optimistic, Lost Weekend Theme, which waves goodbye to times of freedom but embraces your next world chapter in Little Wonder. A distinctive break through of fresh sounds and very gentle nods to a specific time when lasers and love were entwined, Spenza works to bring you back to the surface slowly but very surely in the hypnotic broken beats of Deep In Soup. The rolling whispers of high-hats and disorientating keyboard drones presents itself in the form of Pipapo before it finishes itself on a high note of flurried tones and fades into Waybackmachine - a tune that very much reminds its listener of days when artistes like WARP's Autechre were first emerging blip by blip from the underground. If this is an ode to times past in the hollow place from under the surface though, Spenza brings us back to present day in Dropout, the last album track that is an absolutely tall, wiry and altogether dark cultivation in the garden of dupstep.

So, if you are still awaiting an answer for your latest What?, question - make sure you tune into Spenza's website as the album will be released to seek closure to the pandora's box of possible answers. But wait - that's not all. Expect two remix EPs of the album on the horizon too because after all, since when do answers to any question come in a straightforward way?

www.spenza.com

spenza.com