Gold Panda makes his debut with his Miyamae EP out on Various Production this month. His remixes have gotten him a lot of attention in blogs etc., especially one of Little Boots which is alright, and another of Telepathe's "Chrome's On It" which fucking rules. But when left to his own devices turns out he has a lovely, delicate sensibility for warm, glitchy techno. "Back Home" ties a neat, clipped beat to a lone violin line. Pulsing soft pads, play in reverse, marking time closely, making it the most romantic thing I've heard I could still dance to. "Long Vacation" is a stranger beast, his beat is similarly laced up, but there's a host of herky jerky synth blasts and static that make the ride less comfy. Somehow all that is so background, it still seems luxurious. Mayuri has a dub foundation but the mixing is super interesting. The bass overwhelms as it's supposed to, but not in the way it normally does; the upper lines are so pulled back that when the bass comes in it seems less about filling out the composition, or driving things forward, than it about pulling your focus to a different element. I haven't heard a mixing process this thoughtful since Aphex. This is the really the first thing this kid's done, and it does feel tentative beyond what I think he intended. Here's hoping there's a long player on the calender that steps a bit taller and prouder but keeps it all at this gorgeous micro level he's working with.

Gold Panda - Back Home


Telepathe - Chrome's On It (Gold Panda Remix)