Alex Smoke – F in F EP (VA022)

Glaswegian Alex Smoke aka Mr. Menzies, the man who helped kick start Vakant in those blissfully uncorrupted early days, returns with a fresh no-frills attack since his last Hanged Man EP, VA013, 1 ½ years ago.

No sabbatical here. Alex with his background in classical music has been busy entertaining his many musical interests such as hip hop projects on his own Hum+Haw imprint with Jim Hutchison, engineering for some of the brightest artists in the Glasgow music scene, and of course touring the world proselytizing stupefied audiences to his peerless flavor of techno.

A side’s ‘Whirrfless’ funky abrasiveness stomps heads in a way Alter Ego would if they were happier people and saw more sun. B1 ‘Fud’ paces along with sprightly spring in its step half cheeky, half robo-adventure reminiscent of the early days of Perlon. B2’s onomatopoetic ‘Flingclunk’ zealously jacks for itself.

It’s all glory minus the glam and trans-fats. Smoke, adding to the current relentless Vakant onslaught, makes every reveler feel as limber as 14 year old Russian gymnast.