The title of the first cut from LSN's Control EP Pt. 1 says it all - “Creative”. This is not your grandpappy’s dubstep. The arrangements on this three-track release are atypical and thought-provoking, with a sound design that's both raw and razor sharp - ultimately, it's mental. Tension slowly builds from the moment the first track begins, culminating in an unrestrained explosion of bass and drum at the conclusion of the EP.

The snarling bassline on “Creative” must be heard to be believed; wide and engulfing but with distinct contours. Fortunately, acute compression still allows the drums to have their day in the mix among all the bass. As this alien frequency kicks in, Control EP Pt. 1 initiates a hostile takeover of your mind and senses.

Perhaps with a hint of irony, the middle track is titled “Formulas”. Anything but formulaic, the song features a visceral and exceedingly physical low-end beneath a pattern of percussion that is sonically crisp and clear, yet violent in its approach.

These aggressive drums give no quarter, rolling right into to ”Mofockas”. The cut begins as a masterpiece of minimalism, a shrill and sandy synthesizer serving as the only distraction from the tribal dance between kick and snare. The arrangement becomes more involved as distorted vocal samples and competing melodic flourishes are introduced. The conclusion is simply vicious, and one-ups with ease much of the filthy futuristic sound design coming out of the States these days.

LSN has offered several tracks on the ambitious underground London imprint UpriseAudio before Control EP Pt. 1. The label has catapulted to the forefront of underground dubstep since its conception in 2012, in no small way thanks LSN and other creative composers akin to him. We can’t help but stay chooned for the second installment of Control.

Control EP Vol. 1 releases 2017-09-18, but you can pre-order from Beatport here

FOLLOW LSN: Soundcloud / Bandcamp