Hailing from the rural areas of Denmark, Esben Valløe and Tim Panduro are notorious for breathing their machines to life with a gloomy spirit. M€RCY’s highly acclaimed live shows have brought them to play at reputed venues such as Kater Blau and Roskilde Festival. Their EPs ‘Tunnel’ and ’Black’ (SOUVENIR) have featured remixes by artists like Mathame and Fur Coat, while garnering support from industry heavyweights like Tale of Us. Now, the duo presents their latest outing with the release of their ‘Trembling / Magma’, which is now available via Pursuit, and includes remixes by Architectural and Luigi Tozzi.
Menacing from the offset, ‘Trembling’ lives up to its name, as the earth-quaking low-end stomps throughout, lifting shards of past roads with each passing second. On the forefront, unbreakable percussive patterns tread the ground with aplomb, as reverb-drenched stabs light the way, like flares, only to be gone in an instant. Come breakdown, and the tension is palpable, heightened with anticipation for the drop; one that will take us forward, and into the light.
In ‘Magma’, a brooding, minimalistic, and barren landscape sets the tone, as synthesizers rise up and dissipate like colorful fumes rising from the igneous sole. Tense and gripping, ‘Magma’ mutates as its core changes its state, showcasing a wide palette of sounds that melt together in these blistering temperatures. It’s this shift and mutations across the board that showcases M€RCY’s technical prowess.
On the flip side, Luigi Tozzi goes deeper on ‘Trembling’, as the artist dives into uncharted terrain, exploring the wonders found in the undisturbed depth. Saturated hats shuffle in eye-catching fashion, as wallows unheard of sway in and out, with Tozzi communicating with otherworldly spirits in an intimate ritual that is bound to leave listeners intoxicated in its narcotic grasp.
The final stockade in ‘Trembling / Magma’ comes courtesy of Oviedo’s own Architectural. Conjuring an even starker setting for ‘Trembling’, the Spanish producer reimagines the track as a cavernous affair, driven by a powerful set of drum work that acts as a mincer of sorts, shedding everything that comes in its way.
M€RCY’s ‘Trembling / Magma’ EP is out now via Pursuit. Purchase your copy here.
