Flood City Trax＜Colored Vinyl＞

Nondi_ is a prolific artist from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a small industrial city far removed from any sort of electronic music scene. She acknowledges footwork, Detroit techno, and breakcore as genres that have influenced her music from a distance, but most of her work sounds as if it were created in its own isolated bubble, following a singular sense of logic. Working under several different names, shes self-released the majority of her music, often on her netlabel HRR, but occasionally shes surfaced on other labels, most notably Eat Dis. Weeks after Eat Dis founder DJ Girl released a ghettotech-influenced LP on Planet Mu, the revered British label issued Nondi_s digital album Flood City Trax, containing a few pieces that had appeared on her previous releases, in addition to newer material. The release was named in reference to her hometowns history of devastating floods, from which it has never truly recovered. Nondi_s music sounds obscured and buried but also highly radiant. Her tracks are filled with lush, sparkling textures that melt all over each other, and everything feels like its been sitting in the sun for a while. The beats are usually rapid and jittery, and even when theyre placed up front, the music still feels half asleep, as if lost in a backyard daydream. "Sun Juke" has heavy bass and kick drum patterns vibrating under a deep, foggy haze. "Euphoric Daydream" begins with a sequence of pulsating drips that are shot through with distorted bass rumbling and sharp, clashing beats, yet as blown-out as it gets, the melodies retain their reflective, ruminative feel. "01-25-2022" is more aggressive, chaotic, and alarming, but the following "Healing Rain" replaces the claustrophobia and menacing voices with gentler, more comforting melodies. Tracks like "Dusty" and "Nostalgic Vision" conjure up rose-colored thoughts of bygone days, but its uncertain that any specific moments are actually being remembered. "Sentimental Juke" has flower-like melodies blooming from insistent, jackhammering beats, and final track "Harmoyear" sounds like a music box recorded in the center of a crater. Flood City Trax is a captivating listen and an ideal introduction to Nondi_s playful, enigmatic discography. ~ Paul Simpson