Szare - 'POLITY01' - 2010s Retrospective

In the last 100 days before 2020, I'll be counting down by doing a retrospective of some of the classic releases/EPs of this decade, and maybe a few lesser known gems. Expect broken beats, some leftfield electronics and the odd cheesy banger :) 

(2019, Polity)

Whether it’s down to their relatively quiet touring schedule or virtual anonymity, Szare haven’t quite emerged as one of the most well-known experimental dance music acts of the 2010s, but they’re up there with the best of them. Like many of their UK contemporaries (Shackleton, Akkord), their sound has been equally influenced by the likes of grime and dubstep as it has been by techno over the last decade – but the trajectory of their output has been far from linear, standing apart from trends and in-vogue sounds. Since their beginnings, they’ve combined elements of bass and techno with more esoteric sounds, to create moody and memorable music that stands in a league of its own. Around ten years after their debut, they put out one of their best works yet in the form of POLITY01.

Everything about A-side ‘Miner’ makes a lasting impression. From the get-go, the track's tribal drums make it one of the more distinctive club tracks this year, with slamming syncopated kick drums adding to its off-kilter intensity. Really though, it's when sinister, minor key strings are brought in that the track reaches fever pitch. The sample used here reminds me of dubstep classics like 'AMK', which used Middle Eastern strings to great effect, combined with its offbeat rhythm, 'Miner' ups the freneticism.

Complete with a halftime beat, horns and sub bass, 'Cut With Glass' finds Szare sitting pretty squarely in dubstep territory - but like 'Miner', the presence of hand drumming gives it a more characterful rhythm. 'Drop Shadow' rounds off the EP, and while it takes a different approach to the previous two tracks - this one's a 100bpm stomper - an oscillating bassline and some ominous strings continue satisfyingly sinister mood. It's impressive to put out a release which draws from so many ideas - even more impressive is just how cohesive Szare make it sound.