Rustie – Sunburst EP review

Rustie (real name Russell Whyte) has already dazzled our ears with releases such as Jagz The Smack, his first release on Stuff Records in 2007, through to the Bad Science EP on Wireblock last year. The Sunburst EP, however, marks the Glaswegian producer’s highly anticipated debut on Warp. First up is “Neko”, where a gentle, fairytale intro is interrupted by a thumping beat, crashing cymbals and an infectiously upbeat synth-guitar. The ecstatic melody immediately draws comparisons to Hudson Mohawke’s “Fuse” – no surprise, perhaps, considering the two are closely aligned with one another. Moving effortlessly into the bubbling rhythms and frightened pitched up vocal snatches of “Dragonfly”, the track seems to almost enact the process of the sun bursting using preternatural rhythms, rippling riffs and soaring synth highs.

Introducing a computer game-esque, fairground style hook in “Beast Nite”, Rustie maintains that joyous abandon which has already been firmly established in the EP. Fading out, we are subsequently exposed to the sharp, metallic sound of “Chew” with its more stripped back soundscape and murmuring bleepy stream. “Hyperthrust” pops up between this, the penultimate track, and thirty second finale, “Starwolf”, with an artistic flourish of psychedelic, multifarious synth-led brilliance; glistening, twinkling and once again, reaffirming Rustie’s refreshing and exhilarating production skills.

Please note: you can grab “Hyperthrust” for free from Juno Download here.

Belinda Rowse