SPAZZKID WEIRD GIRL

I would say that this man needs no introduction, but in some ways I would like to introduce him anyway. Here is Spazzkid, a Filipino-LA-based producer who I have been writing about since May (he's really nice - here's a Q&A with him). If you don't already know him, I'd urge you to check out his music; it's characterised by almost euphoric electronic sounds combined with slow beats - but with his latest song he's diverged somewhat from that. In the email he sent, he mentioned that this could indeed be a taster of what is to come on his next album. And you know what? I am looking forward to it: fresh sounds are good, no matter if you sounded fresh before getting even fresher.

So what's different? Well, in this newest song 'Weird Girl', Mark Redito (the real name of Mr Spazzkid) has eschewed his usual slow and swaying chilled-out rhythm for something a lot more up-tempo. Coupled with this, he's laid down a biting saw-wave bassline that adds a lot more of a hard edge to his sound than I have heard before. The beat style, in fact, sounds a little UK garage if you ask me - there's something in the sketched-out, glitching beats that contains within it the insectoid wiggle of garage rhythms.

His utilisation of samples is a lot more pronounced than it has been before, too, chopping up songs and vocals and placing them with maximum dynamism throughout. The second half marks a change in the song, as synth chords punctuate the mix and everything gets nice and messy, but in a beautifully organised way: synth leads arpeggiate, clap-along claps raise the energy levels, the beat shakes and fizzes.

But he's still there. A sparkling female laugh appears, as it has done in earlier tracks, and there are marimba or xylophone melodies with an oriental spirit, the kind that have injected their gentle cheer before in some of his songs. Overall it's a new take on Spazzkid. Spazzkid+. Spazzkid 2.0. More sampling, more up-tempo - there's a lot to shout about here, and a lot to dance to. I am heartily looking forward to the next album.

This has been released on Bad Panda Records, a "next generation" DIY record label based in Rome, Italy.

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