Collected. The jarring, almost surreal sensation that permeates the work of Hanz never fails to keep cool. Even amid a backdrop of disturbed sampling imbuing a phantasmal quality to his music, Hanz doesn’t lose balance; his style is one of brooding, yet veering tones. Quite true to that unnatural sense of balance, “King Speed” is a disorientating set where every prop has its place. It’s a slow, churning, steel fan slicing paralyzed air and glints of street lights outside. Matrix-style bullet trails perforate your vision and hearing, careening past you and leaving mutters in their wake. Noisy patches overcome the very same mutters; you can practically smell the burnt electronics, no longer a third person bystander to this scene.
It’s a testament to how Hanz operates as an artist. From the outside looking in, it’s not hard to see a clinical or surgical touch to the way “King Speed” is crafted. Try stepping into the middle of this picture though. Hanz has mise-en-scène on lock, and frankly it sounds damn good in the form of music.
“King Speed” is one of many grooves adorning Hanz’s new EP, Plasty I. Plasty I comes out January 19 through Tri Angle Records, but you can feel “King Speed” out below.