Dev79 - 6/10

Philadelphia's Dev79 – joint label-head at Stateside imprint Seculasis – offers up a few surprises on his new four-track EP for Lucky Beard. From the metallic, glass-like synth duels on fuzzy opener 'Smoked Salt' to the spacial, trapped-out lean of 'No Dance Routine' feat Dread MC (the instrumental version is also included), he cuts up a sound palette all of his own making. Final track 'Gash Out', a collaboration with Subp Yao, punctuated by steely bass knocks and thunderous claps, is a little less abstract, but still had us scratching our heads.