[Rawax]

Untitled Dubs is another anonymous, stamped, limited white label from Germany, released by a freshly minted company called Rawax. This is probably worth a few eyerolls, though let’s be honest: the format has produced its fair share of gems. The four tracks on Unbroken Dub’s debut frequently resemble other artists’ signatures but manage to skirt rip-off territory.

“A1” mixes rough beatdown drum patterns with ultra-deep bass tones and luxuriant atmospherics. One of the most common criticisms of dub-house and techno is the lack of attention to rhythm, with artists preferring to wallow in swells of delay than create anything suited for dancing (or any kind of movement, really). “A1” offers a kind of antidote, albeit one far sparer than most of the genre’s productions. “A2” recalls Shed in its stepping interplay, predominantly the muggy rave backdrop and loose, slightly off-kilter waves of double-time hi-hats. Like its predecessor it’s distinctly raw, and this separates it from that producer’s typically polished oeuvre. On the flip, “B1” suggests Omar-S at his most linear. For the most part, it’s swiftly skipping 4/4, a strange tone that sounds like thick paper serving as a bass line, and intermittent synth cushion. Finally, “B2” sits firmly in the Theo Parrish-derived STL school of beatdown house, switching from groove to groove as somnolent, filter-tweaked synths ripple overhead. It’s pretty easy to compare Untitled Dubs to preexisting material, but these same idiosyncratic influences keep it a satisfying listen. In this case, the anonymous format seems reasonable; it’s neither boldly establishing a new personality nor entirely unworthy of fans’ time.