• Pinch-Brain-scan

Pinch - Brain Scan

Aquatic Lab

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Pinch makes a surprise appearance on Aquatic Lab, an O.G dubstep label that became a regular home for some criminally underrated artists in the scene, primarily Cotti & Cluekid. A slow last few years for the label made this hook-up seem completely out of the blue, but a welcome surprise it certainly is.


Brain Scan occupies a space between Pinch's more recent non-140 work and the sound he was originally known for. The snarling, wickedly treated basslines echo his biggest bangers, but the surrounding music and atmospheres are moodier, less aimed at the jugular and pushing harder to achieve a monumental sense of pent up dread. A side Brain Scan eschews half-time feel for a sped-up techno step as discordant bells, bleeps and screeches up the tension to insane levels. It's probably the most versatile of the three tracks - you'd reasonably anyone from Mala to Hodge to Paula Temple hauling this one in the record bag.

The two B sides fit a little more firmly into the dubstep umbrella, but thanks to a healthy dose of reverb and the aforementioned focus on atmosphere, they're certainly not nearly as straightforward as that description might suggest. Street Light has a junglist feel thanks to those mesmerising pads - they give off a loosely middle-eastern flavour amongst the stark coldness of the rhythm and bass treatment. Finally there's Abducted, a half-time banger like only Pinch can do - a spiritual successor to earlier works like Swish or The Boxer - this is the sound of that earned him his reputation in the class of o.g. dubstep - wicked!


Brain Scan



Street Light



Abducted