Endgame – Flesh
Londoner Endgame is a new addition to the Hyperdub roster after releases on Lisbon’s Golden Mist Records, and NYC-based Purple Tapes Pedigree.
Endgame hosts an excellent monthly show ‘Precious Metals’ on NTS and produces and DJs as part of the Bala Club crew (also featuring Uli K, Kamixlo and Rules) who are regulars at Lexxi’s occasional club night ‘Endless’. He already has mixes and features with the likes of the Fader, Fact, Dazed and Confused and ID under his belt in the short time he’s been releasing music.
In his ice-cold productions, Drill, Grime and most notably South American dance riddims are threaded and mutated into tracks that he describes as an ever-evolving vision of the dystopian underbelly of London.
‘Felony Riddim’ is an icy introduction to the EP, an explosive club jam with a menacing and stabbing chime melody leading up to a pounding kick drum. It’s all out war, but you can definitely roll your hips to it. ‘Sittin’ Here Redux’ recasts Dizzie Rascal’s ‘Boy In Da Corner’ opener into a tense anthem, with police sirens wailing in the background, dogs barking, and rolling 808 snares that bring a vibe somewhere between reggaeton and drill.
Next up is ‘Fallen’ featuring the MC Organ Tapes – a slow burner that works both as a moody headphone track or a club slow jam. Organ Tapes’ slurred autotuned vocals flow perfectly with Endgame’s blend of grime drums and chiming rap production. The EP finishes as it began, going out with the explosive and high-energy ‘Toxic Riddim’. It’s a mix of reggaeton and futurist dancehall, with a menacing melody and relentless electric shock-like hi hats across a deep sub.
Endgame takes you all around the world – but the ice-cold tone unmistakably brings you right back to winding in a dark club in London's culture clash.