The beginning of the new year typically brings a wide swath of musical releases from artists looking to offload last year's final creative products, and Kercha is not about to miss out on this high-octane release season; based out of Gelendzhik, Russia, Kercha has been a mainstay contributor to SmallPrint Recordings, and excels in the design and composition of exceptionally vibey system music. His latest EP, A Very Strange Man, delivers his sonic vision with an acuity that is a testament to his meticulous production process.

The initial draw of the EP lies in the tangible difference between musical aggression and musical abrasion; eschewing abrasive tones and wide-berth frequencies, Kercha allows the rhythm to drum up the aggression of the music, as in the case of the track “Rope”. Pounding 808s and modulated sub frequencies enhance the stereo image, permeating an aural aesthetic that is both brazen and succinct. Taking a step away from large-bore sub weight and eclectic rhythmic shuffles, “Ghosts Don't Exist” instead meanders in a playfully slapstick direction. Flipping the idea of tonal dissonance on its head, the main melody lick is a subtle drop across a distance of semitones, foregoing harmonic interplay for eclectic note choice. All throughout the EP, the percussion programming and post production shine culminate in voluptuous spatial dynamics. Demonstrated to maximum effect in “A Very Strange Man”, the top layer percussion fills the top of the frequency spectrum, and serves as the focal point of the track. Terse melody elements and stabs of rounded synthesis fill in the gaps to create a stereophonic listening experience that saturates the aural spectrum.

The sea of system music covers a rapidly growing territory of genres and musical attitudes, and Kercha seems to thread in between those constantly re-established lines. Regardless of the mood or atmosphere, his catalog has grown to include a vibe for a diverse range of listeners and enthusiasts. A Very Strange Man is but the next step in an ongoing journey that has seen Kercha's music spread from the other side of the globe and back, and with SmallPrint Recordings backing the process, the guaranteed quality of his musical output is assured through and through.

FOLLOW Kercha: SoundCloud / Spotify / Facebook