[Hyperdub]

Joker, as his name perhaps suggests, is not one to take his productions to seriously. His tracks tend to be brash and rude, and they shun emotion like it’s a man in a collar at a dubstep rave. It’s hard to ignore the attitude of adolescent rebellion hat infects Joker tracks. When he and his synths go out on the town, cans of spray paint in hand, the result is music that puts two fingers up to anything and everything. That in mind, his first record on Hyperdub, “Digidesign,” is something of a departure, representing Joker at his most restrained. Over a streamlined four minute excursion, the same three elements suffice to get the job done. There’s a sticky, Velcro synth line, a stepping bass line, and, wait for it: a downright pretty melody.

“Digidesign” makes perfect mix fodder. When it slots in next to the more rambunctious siblings in Joker’s sets, it provides a surprising moment of pure pop catchiness. But when heard on its own, it doesn’t feels terribly complete or satisfying. It’s not long enough, or sincere enough, to feel as though it wholly lives up to its potential. Nevertheless, instant gratification is something plenty of electronic music could provide more of, and “Digidesign” gives it out with style. On the flip, the Danish duo of 2000F and J Kamata, who have barely released three records between them, have catapulted themselves quite impressively onto Hyperdub. Their song, “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” combines a sparse dubstep beat with a fairly R’n’B-sounding team of vocal lines. The result sounds more like Kanye West than anything I’ve heard come out on an underground label. It never offends, but never really proves its worth either.