Let’s get to the point: SPEED, the latest release from MALT, is built to rattle the dance floor. Its foundation is a bass synth going for a jog, taking cheeky steps but on a determined pace. The drums are programmed to propel and leave no dead air. Don’t mistake it for a straightforward DJ tool, though: the track kicks off with a simple “woo!” and takes its time opening up into a frenetic sci-fi heist. Teases of breaks and glassy arpeggios come to a head and flip the picture, throwing you curveballs and keeping you on your toes. Like the best blockbusters, it’s an action sequence that finds time to be lush and methodical. Yes, at its core, it’s a track designed to get you there. It’s also a track that doesn’t have all day—it needs you to hurry up and fucking dance.
For the steadier heads, the DubMax Version provides the bounce with a more gradual measure. A twisted vocal echoes throughout, almost a chuckle resonating past the chugging and shrugging. It’s a romp. Adam O also boards on with a remix, fixing to take you deeper into the bogs. Knocking garage kicks grab you by the limbs; grimy bass synths pull you into the proceedings. If the original was a race against time, this one’s a test against space, tossing you around within its bounds.
The cherry on top: MALT’s remix of an unreleased Adam O track, “What’s the Password”, an expeditious thriller. Evoking late 20th century paranoia, it moves at a breakneck speed to take you through fiber optics and dial-up lines, through command windows and terminals, to get you back to basics. Wipe the sweat off your brows.
After a period of quiet focus, MALT—a secret weapon and enduring mainstay of Los Angeles—briskly returns with a laser-precise EP that’ll steam up dance floors everywhere. Refill your fog machines and pick up the pace; this one’ll get things going.
credits
released July 21, 2023
Written & Produced by MALT
Mastered by MALT
Cover by MALT
Snappy breakbeats, acid-drenched samples, and ’90s techno textures abound on this five-track knockout from the South Korean DJ and producer. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 13, 2023