Powder’s Thinner Groove label continues to experiment with format on this latest release which gathers up an album’s worth of tempo-pushing dancefloor oddness from KOOLMFL. A burgeoning new project from long-time Thinner Groove friend K-Line, it's clear they’re having a lot of fun under the KOOLMFL name. So far in 2024, they’ve contributed one of the tracks of the year to that great TG 12” which Piers reviewed back in February as well as delivering an album of library material alongside fellow Thinner Groovers Sonic Weapon for the cult SNAKER label.

As the title suggests, 2024 2 0 2 4 2024 collates a heady 14 tracks produced over the course of this hellish year so far from the confines of KOOLMFL's “chaotic but strangely comfortable studio.” If there is one unifying principle across these tracks, its KOOLMFL's talent for twisting and bending quirky micro samples and melodies into compelling new shapes. 2024 2 0 2 4 2024 is very fun too, the sort of music that makes you want to jump on your decks/dive into Rekordbox and start plotting out mixes and transitions.

Opening track “shinkosoiitokoro” peels off a nice & dusty early 2000s Sound Signature shuffle which quickly aligns with the sort of insouciant yet tricky melodic detail that characterised Powder’s music from the off. All underpinned by thick and muddy low-end. “correct/wrong” then veers off into dizzying footwork, throwing cascading acid lines up against chaotic vocal loops. This is an early signifier that KOOLMFL will happily stray beyond the confines of kooky 4/4, evident elsewhere on the rushed broken beats of “WW” and knackered beatdown of closing “track insert a pacemaker.”

In between this, “COMMAND 4” stands out immediately as it sounds like KOOLMFL is trying to replicate frog noises with his machines, all set to a frantic eurohouse beat. In the right moment this will send dancers wild. I could go on but there’s so much personality in every track here, you’ll want to discover some favourites for yourself.

All in all, another Thinner Groove winner, who are proving to be the go-to label for music to weird up the dancefloor. Long may this continue!

'2024 2 0 2 4 2024' by KOOLMFL is avaialable to buy now via the Thinner Groove Bandcamp.