[REKIDS]

In his recent slew of releases, Matt Edwards (aka Radio Slave) has focused rather exclusively on lengthy peak time killers. Over the years, he’s had so many pseudonyms and side projects that, as the bio on his website claims, “If Matt comes up with another two projects he’ll have enough alter egos for every day of the week.” So, when Edwards’ REKIDS label drops a pounding 14 minute monolith by a hitherto unheard of artist named Veinte Tres, you can’t help but wonder if Matt’s up to his usual identity shenanigans.

Speculation aside, “Serpiente Cosmica” is one mean record. The beat is urgent and aggressive, with the same harsh snare that made Grindhouse Tool a hit complimenting an absolutely mammoth bass kick. The beat plods along heavily as distant drones evoke the yawning infinity of the cosmos. The atmosphere is filled out nicely with reverb-laden sheets of white noise and, eventually, the voice of a man mumbling deliriously in Spanish. As the vocals disintegrate into inhuman drones, the mood grows increasingly ominous. Between the ultra heavy beat and vastly abyssal imagery, it’s hard to imagine a track sounding more massive than this. Even without the eerie vocals, the instrumental version on the b-side is still a wonderfully rich and sinister track. Regardless of who’s responsible for this single, it’s another badass steamroller to add to REKIDS repertoire, and one I’d love to hear out at a massive club.