Standing firm in a landscape of busy labels with regular monthly schedules (the majority of which do a great job by the way), Subaltern Records are as refreshing as they are impressive. They continue to re-emerge every six months and always manage to put out the most remarkable tunes by the most remarkable producers and in doing so, remain as one of my favourite labels! From Oxossi to Kodama to Cartridge, Subaltern clearly hold out for some of the best in the game and this latest instalment is no different. 3WA blew up last year thanks to a collection of raw system-shattering tunes that landed him on a bunch of high profile imprints, becoming one of the most impressive producers to emerge for quite some time. The Portuguese prodigy is the latest to join a stacked Subaltern roster with ‘Master Of Finances‘ EP and once again, doesn’t fuck about when it comes the crucial sounds of dubstep.
A triple threat of 3WA‘s most aggressive productions, ‘Master Of Finances‘ EP begins with it’s mighty title track. If you’re a 3WA virgin and were after a taste of his quintessential sound, well you’re in luck because this one slaps you round the face with it! A relentless runaway train carried by it’s engine of throbbing subs, it chugs through a soundscape comparable to the late 2000’s, like a sub fuelled time machine tantalisingly caught between two eras; now and then. Now with that said, the following ‘Slimy’ is absolutely my jam. Initially walking that tightrope between space and bass, the wonky subs descend like staggered atom bombs, exploding upon impact and shaking the floor to it’s core. Amongst the destructive penetrating bass, the reverb emanating from the percussion is particularly insane. It’s upon the second drop when the sub-bombs cease and all out warfare commences, following a growth in pressure and the wonky weaponry persists. The third belter then arrives in the shape of ‘Balaclava‘, another continuous roller that 3WA always pulls together so powerfully and fittingly concludes the record.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time to happen on a Subaltern record, but the digital exclusive ‘Stalagmites Rain‘, may well be my favourite of the bunch. It’s probably due to my personal taste but I’m sure this might be the case for many heads. It’s certainly a darker one with intense pressure, coordinating with a deluge of gnarly SFX and metallic textures. It’s the certainly deeper of the four and for me, the sickest.
Subaltern‘s releases have quietly risen in quality over the last couple of years, intentionally stacked with the hardest tunes around and given their semi-occasional schedule, have become some of the most collectable records in circulation. However with the valuable sounds of 3WA ingrained onto wax, it becomes even more of a must cop. It may be the ‘Master Of Finances‘, but it’s certainly worth dipping into the bank for this one.
‘Master Of Finances‘ EP is out 08/10/2021 and available on vinyl from the Subaltern Records store.
Check out 3WA on Soundcloud and Instagram.
Check out Subaltern Records on Soundcloud and Instagram.