[M-Plant]

While Detroit producer Robert Hood has enjoyed a renaissance in the past few years on the back of his exhilarating Fabric mix, the inspired Hoodmusic series and quite possibly a realisation in some quarters that what he has been doing for the best part of 20 years makes the mnml explosion look like a minor ripple in his vast creative depths, it was almost inevitable that at some stage he’d fall foul of a backlash. There have been rumblings about some of his gigs featuring pretty much the same records, often played in the same sequence, and Hood hasn’t helped matters with his last release, the effective but pedestrian “Obey/Resurrection,” which paled into significance when compared to most of his gold-starred back catalog.

Although he’s a gentle man, “Superman” sounds like a two-fingered response to such criticism. Fashioned around one of Hood’s trademark wiry rhythms, the title track’s pitch-bent hats and dense, rolling percussion provide the backdrop for a malevolently jarring riff. This is Hood at his brutal best, repurposing past glories to set the agenda now. “Range” is also rooted in 90’s sounds, its eerie organ riff and slamming backing come across like Hood’s Missing Channel side project paying homage to Jeff Mills’ “Solid Sleep.” It proves that when the going gets tough, mavericks like Hood get going.