A new release on Paul Blackford’s Militant Science imprint always catches my attention.

Recent releases by Chordata, Alien Sex Toy, Headnoaks and Blackford himself have all hit the spot on a number of levels.

Blurring the perceived boundary between jungle, techno and electro – Militant Science are a rare beast in these times of style over substance. It is great to see and hear a label that is implementing an agenda with a higher goal.

This 3 tracker from New Jersey based Ali Berger is one of the freshest blasts of funky, twitched out data-rock that you are likely to have heard in a while.

Opener Momentum begins its rapid ascent with clipped tightened beats and junglist break edits, at times invoking a Photekian tension with its sub drops and wide-screen atmospheres, snapping back into a wickedly snaking bass-line that rolls out perfectly. As with the rest of the release there is a good balance to Berger’s tracks; enough technical trickery to get you thinking and proper solid functioning bass and beats to drive your body.

Next up Decay Theory opens intriguingly with converging tones and echo box cuts, dropping into a bio-mechanoid fusion of hydraulic rave hoovers and a furiously addictive funked slap bass. The tone of the track is fun and optimistic and full of outward energy but with a sneakily subversive edge. Music for B boys in spacesuits.

Scattergun closes the release with a heads down, strobes and smoke workout. Doing all the right things at the right time and painting a darker picture than the preceding tracks. A precision symmetrical splicing of big bad bass, rolling breaks,driving beats and dystopian doom synths which really needs dropping at about 3 am in a warehouse to be fully appreciated.

It is clear that Militant Science are pushing the sound forward rather than sitting back and re-running a played out vision of the future. I personally have no interest in hearing yet another attempt at emulating the Drexciyan/Atkins axis no matter how “authentic” the equipment. It is easy to let the machines do the talking, but in my opinion it is a much greater task to create a clearly individual sound charged with intent.

Highly recommended.

GRAB

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Ali Berger – Momentum
Ali Berger – Decay Theory
Ali Berger – Scattergun