Ajukaja
Mhmhmh
Bergerac

Words by Piers Harrison

Red Rack'em's Bergerac label is an interesting proposition. Beyond his obviously stringent and maybe somewhat idiosyncratic quality control, he allows his artists pretty unlimited freedom in terms of label design, concept and genre. This is all admirable stuff but in a world where, sadly, the lowest common denominator wins out, it can make for a less-easy to grasp label identity. On this release from Estonian cult-hero and radio iconoclast Ajukaja (aka Raul Saaremets) the boundaries are pushed further with four pieces of music that genuinely sound like they could come from four different producers.

Whilst Raul's name may remain somewhat unfamiliar to many outside of Estonia he was responsible for one of the more enduring of underground classics in recent years in the shape of that KILLER 'Benga Benga' record on Porridge Bullet.

And so to this 4 tracker which continues in quirky yet accessible fashion....

We get titular track 'Mhmhmhm' (easy for you to say)... a mid tempo number that treads the fine line between novelty and credibility. Super DJ friendly and versatile this deserves to stay in your box for some time.

'Sklad' drifts around on fractured beats in a pleasingly dubby and vague direction. Late nite ambling here.

'Elkeer' - what the?! Some kind of kitsch Estonian wrong speed vocoder disco weird out. Both familiar and disorientatingly discombobulating.

The EP closes out with 'Walk', previously a tape only joint now released onto vinyl in all its frayed morning euphoric glory.

Killer stuff all round! TIP

'Mhmhmh' is out NOW on Bergerac

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