2011 was a banner year for borrowed language – both the split 12 inch from jeff pietro & israel vines (blx-2 distance no object) and jeff pietros definitive >still< 10 inch (blx-3) garnered plaudits from all corners of the globe and were charted and played by the likes of surgeon, miles whittaker (of demdike stare fame), peter van hoesen, xhin, and many others. we kick off 2012 with this astonishing 4-track ep from detroits justin ivey, and if this is anything to go by, its going to be a hell of a year… justin ivey has been making uncompromising and challenging electronic music as dj adjust (and lowsh as well as theek) since the nineties, and he is also the founder of the beloved and highly influential cult imprint low res. while low res has always released records that reside somewhere on the extreme end of the electronic music spectrum (i.e. davros and ablecain) ivey isnt a purist - in fact, he is a true enthusiast of all types of electronic music, and it certainly shows on this 4-track ep.
limited edition of 200 copies on white vinyl.

borrowed language returns with their third installment of genre agnostic electronics. following the explosive release of unltd & israel vines >distance no object< ep (featured in millie & andreas superb lwe podcast, and charted by the likes of dj pete & grovskopa) was no easy feat, but jeff pietro proves to be more than up to the task with this brilliant 2-track 10 inch. as with earlier releases on borrowed language, this effort exemplifies the continuing refinement of the labels aesthetic. while some influences are clearly detectable, this is not just cannon fodder, there is enough attention to detail and panache on display here to distinguish pietros take on techno/bass music from his peers. the results are polished, but not without sharp edges, brutal, but elegant, functional, but not faceless.

following the superb inaugural 12 inch from unltd, borrowed language returns with this incendiary split release from label owner israel vines and unltd. >reclaim<, a collaborative effort from vines and unltd, opens the a-side in fine style, its a grimy, broken-beat behemoth that is sure to find favor with those who like their techno dark and atmospheric. a robotic machine-press groove and monotone bass rumbles underpin quasi-gothic synth textures à the effect is truly mesmerizing.