- "Son of Raw," "Keep it Raw," "Raw Elements"; apart from sounding like the lunch menu at a Californian colonic irrigation convention—"hey dude, raw is the law!"—this creeping fascination with rawness pre-supposes that as long as electronic music is delivered with flaws and blemishes, it's valid. Such blanket contentions are always suspicious.
The fact that one of the tracks on this EP is called "Raw as Fuck" would immediately arouse doubt were it not for the fact that Marcello Napoletano is the author. Despite being a relative newcomer, Napoletano's work has featured on respected imprints like Jamal Moss's Mathematics as well as Yore and Laid. The track in question is dreamier than its title suggests, with rolling congas and subtle, filtered chords taking the edge off the backing drums.
"Soul Train" is of a similar disposition, its shifting percussion providing the basis for dreamy synths, but once again, the backing beats sound rough around the edges. But Napoletano finally delivers what many only promise on "Everyday Madness." Devoid of melodies or musical elements, its concrete-weight drums allow him to deliver a killer percussive workout, that progresses from rolling snares into tight claps, powered by distorted bass licks. It adds up to a primal sound that no amount of lazy revisionism can emulate.
Tracklist A Everyday Madness
B1 Raw As Fuck
B2 Soul Train