Hudson Mohawk – Polyfolk Dance EP (Warp) 12”

This is a six track mini album / EP from Aqua-Crunk beat master Hudson Mohawk and his debut on prolific, always on the button bleepy label Warp. Hud Mo brings some playful fun with Polyfolk Dance.

As you would expect from an Aquatic Crunk based bleep and beat instrumental Hip-hop EP it’s all off kilter and messed up, like you want to dance but you’ve got your wonk on and can’t stand up straight.

Every track on the EP is full of hooks and joyous energy, it’s no chilled out affair I can tell you that for free. The A-Side opens up with, ‘Polkadot Blues’ which has a mad high end spinning sound that ushers it in before the beats drop and the bass kicks. Helium vocal snippets get chopped and spaced around the messed up groves, it’s a bit like a day out at the fair ground, you know candy floss, bright lights and stuff spinning around.

Next up on this excitable slab is, ‘Monde’ has a similar vibe to the opener with toy town synths but with a slower groove, some epic chords and a little slap bass. This all opens up into a really sublime and hypnotic groove that just draws you in and gets so addictive. If this stuff is just a sample of what’s to come then Hudson Mohawk is going to be on fire this year.

‘Overnight’ comes in like all of UGK’s and Outkast’s beats put together, you know that Euphoric Southen Hip-hop boom bass and kick, knocked sideways and spat out for a hands in the air dance around that gives you a huge shit eating grin that just makes your face ache a little.

Half way through and it’s all to good to be true, flip it to the B-Side and let the needle glide, I’ll stop now.

The flip kicks off with a really mad rhythm called, ‘Speed Stick’ it makes you feel a little drunk as it skips then flows towards you. Twinkley synths, crashing drums and plucked up orchestral strings give it an Eski beat gone wrong feel.

Another high-pitched vocal sample proliferates, ‘Velvet Peel’ the drums really do remind me of UGK this time especial the sublime, ‘International Players Anthem’ but with added wonk and shuffle. The synths are really fresh and they sprinkle over you like gleaming shards. It’s a joy to hear.

Now how the hell can you finish an EP this quality? Well go even more insane I guess, Bring in the electro drums and ere darkness. ‘Yonard’ just just that by coming on like a sparkly bleepyer version of Rustie’s ‘Jag The Smack’ or something like that anyway.

It’s so good to see the UK really pushing hip-hop instrumentals forward like this. Hudson Hohwak sound like he has a lot to give and Polyfolk Dance shows this in bucket loads. He brings together the ambient wonk of Flying Lotus, the Southern boom of UGK and the Electro madness of Rustie along with a really playful and unique vibe of his own. Grab it, put it on and fall over while you dance.

http://www.myspace.com/hudsonmo