Artist: Dirty Fours
Title: Breathless / Machines
Label: EQ Grey
By: Chloe Harris | 7 November 2004
Tracklist:

• A: Breathless
• B: Machines

Dirty Fours "Breathless / Machines"

Australia's EQ Grey is on a roll at the moment, and follow on from Kosmas Epsilon's excellent 'Feed Me Acid' with a new single from Dirty Fours, those men better known as Nubreed. Under their Dirty Fours moniker they have remixed their own work with Luke Chable and remixed the MFA, as well as put out singles on Austin Leeds' Hamachi label, and the always-fabulous Vapour Recordings. 'Breathless' and 'Machines' are two class pieces of music. Their production quality is stunning, and the drive, layers of sound, and dirty beats provided here are more then anyone can ask for.

'Breathless' is nothing short of brilliant, with it’s gnarly bassline and peak time synths riding on top fantastic percussion. The kick and snare build with layers of tribal toms, snappy high hats and a squishy bubble sound set in a deep minimal groove. A shrilling sound washes over and drops the tune into a rich bassline, still riding the beat. The bass changes up and starts in with a new funky groove, while chords drop in creating a catchy hook that moves the song along. A surreal break explodes a moment later, as swirling synths play up the depth and a slight voice says "You're Breathless" and then leads back into a new break beat. Once the kick comes back in, a harder groove builds as the tune peaks in a subdued way, with delaying synths, fact acid sweeps, and a solid filthy groove.

A tough and sinister groove plays as the backdrop for this dirty but incredibly pretty techy progressive stormer, 'Machines'. The kick starts in as the drums build with all sorts of random beatings from wood sounds to toms, to shaky high hats. The bassline teases the beats in the background and then takes centre stage driving along with a warbly edge, while a sweet air sound smoothes over and drops everything into a dreamy but mechanical lazer soundscape. As the drums kick back in after a short break, all sorts of new sounds randomly appear tweaking out perfectly with the beats, and moving everything into a rather intense and gorgeous swirling synth line. This hook carries until the end, changing and growing into a dramatic peak.

These are two of the best songs I've heard all year. 'Breathless' and 'Machines' offers the listener two different choices of extremely well thought out and challenging dance music, with quality production and brilliant hooks.