The Gaslamp Killer

Breakthrough Brainfeeder ***

It's all in the blend. William Bensussen came of age in California as a DJ Shadow- influenced hip-hop DJ before turning his sets inside-out with tougher, more spaced-out sounds. A hook-up with Flying Lotus and the Brainfeeder crew was probably inevitable, and the potential of such a meeting of minds is abundantly clear on Bensussen's debut album. Aside from the presence of various Brainfeeder-associated collaborators (from Gonjasufi to Computer Jay), who add piquancy and bleeps, the ties that link Bensussen to Brainfeeder are clear in how he merges his fondness for gritty psych and glitchy electronica within the overall sound of the album. Even when priming a track with dense monstercore trimmings (see Impulse and Flange Face for Bensussen's fondness for Herrmann-like sonics), he never loses sight of the overall sound he's keen to pitch. thegaslampkiller.com

Download tracks: Impulse, Veins