It's been some time, but LIES's self
proclaimed literary maggot is back. Not content with worming his way
into high works of fiction, Nik Dawson (AKA Bookworms) has his sights
set on our minds.
Indeed, he doesn't so much worm himself
into your head with his latest release, he positively declares
residency there, hoisting flag and chuffing cigar.
It's not as if Dawson has been quiet
during the year or so since the deadly Love Triangles EP – his role
as co-head of Confused House has kept him busy, I'm sure- but I for
one was worried about how Dawson could possibly follow up such a
singular and accomplished debut. And as time ticked I suspected a
'difficult' second EP was in the offing.
Thankfully, Bookworms lays siege to my
neurotic conjectures, coming out of the block's like a man possessed
(or at least one denied a few books for a small length of time).
First up is 'Malfunction', given the
whole A- side to work its insidious weaponry. Oscillating and faintly
acidic synths hypnotise the head, whilst motorik grooves whip the
limbs into action. It is a steely, more dancefloor oriented departure
from Dawson's recent Confused House work. It combines the head
fucking atmospheric textures from the latter but allies them with
tighter, leaner rhythms. The result is a beautiful yet quietly
unsettling piece of music, which gives the impression of machines on
the brink of collapse. With dusty drum machines, and 808 cowbell hits
vying with more polished synth presets for position, it also strikes
a well judged balance between grit and gossamer. Great track.
The EP as a whole comes highly
recommended, and further confirms Dawson, along with Terreke, Delroy,
and Kupfer as among the leading lights of an always vital imprint.
