Utrecht-based DJ and producer Thrills in +41 has been making a steady name for himself since 2021, releasing with Amsterdam labels United Identities and Who’s Susan in that same year. Evolving his signature style of psyched-out electro, bass, and pacey techno, he creates his own world of unconventional textures and atmospherics. One whose pull is difficult to resist. As Thrills in +41 explains: "Nostalgia and futurism in electronic music have fascinated me a lot throughout the years as a producer and DJ, so I approached Primal X 01 with classic club and contemporary sounds in mind. When creating it, I aimed to build tension with dissonant sounds that cause a slightly anticipatory feel."

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True to its name, the Primal X series leans into a distinctive, primal dancefloor energy. For the first EP release of the series, Thrills in +41 blends rhythm and repetition using an extensive sound palette from both the 90s and early 00s. From swampy basslines, and sporadic synth notes, to steady kickdrums, the EP’s four tracks will have you bouncing along first with your head, then with your knees.

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This round’s premiere pick highlights ‘Crooked Shapes’, the third track of the release. Snappy percussion and a wobbly, vocals-flecked bassline backtrack a warping synth, synergising to an ecstatic dancefloor atmosphere.

PRIMAL X 01 [UIPX001]

Full tracklist

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1. In Time
2. Pyro One
3. Crooked Shapes
4. Parazoa

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Primal X 01 will be out on May 23rd, 2023. Order a copy via Bandcamp.