Par Avion deliver the long awaited debut 12” from Bristol’s Henry Greenleaf.
The cover bears ‘Fold Together’; a skittish, icy electro number, perfectly aligned with the young Bristolian’s notoriety for tough tunes. Accompanying the title track, ‘Rolling Untitled’ is a punchy techno workout, responsible for rattling basements around the UK.
Overleaf to these, however, Henry communicates an entirely different message. Though ’The Way’ chugs along as a syncopated roller, stylishly throwing nods to jungle and dub cultures on the way, ‘Half Under’ exists as an exhibition of programming. Dynamic fills stutter and slap in almost improvised fashion, ending our second communication with a stark westward shift towards 2-step and garage.
Opening with 'Squid Girls', the A side emphasises the washed-out gloom we're used to from Agrippa. The title track, however, drives his rhythmic intentions home in no uncertain terms, and exemplifies his recent progression towards producing certified depth charges, strictly for club deployment.
On the flip, Agrippa further demonstrates an aptitude for creating sounds with a wonky edge to them. The low-passed, scything lead in 'Spice Raiders' harks back to his 2018 release on Version, and rolls along with similarly battering perc. While the rumbling lows and sparkling tops of 'Scabs' fall away in a decidedly minor key, ending the communication on a characteristically sombre note.