After appearances on Idle Hands and BRSTL, Rhythmic Theory returns to their own imprint to further explore gritty textures and mysterious moods within house and techno frameworks. Where THEORY001 featured the somewhat soothing, melancholic tones of “Echo Vibe” and “Omega Syndrome”, this second installment comes caked in sonic muck and abrasive attitude. It’s not all dark and foreboding, as the graceful filter-swept key refrain of “Siren Song” will attest, but it takes a barrage of rasping hats and bludgeoning kicks and toms before such niceties can be foisted upon our ears. While there is an optimistic lilt to the particular notes the melody calls out, in the midst of such machismo percussion it can’t help but feel emotionally ambiguous, continuing the tone set out in the first Rhythmic Theory releases. There is no such confusion over B side cut “Genesis”; from the apocalyptic boom of the opening kick to the rapid gun fire of the snare this is a track that wants to inflict damage. At the midway point the searing beat melts away as a wash of delay-riddled speech knocks you from your centre of gravity, only for the drums to come whipping back in to pick up the slack. Even the sole synth note that rears its head is devoid of compassion, pulsing a creepy, robotic intonation through the clamour.