Last year, CRZKNY released GVVVV, which found the juke maker pivoting hard into straight-up gabber. It was a faithful set with a few flashes of the Chicago-style thrown in, but one that feels like a fun (and pounding) detour. But now, under the guise of DJ Anaconda, CRZKNY has returned to the hard-hitting sound, and made a huge jump forward with Anaconda Trax Vol. 1. The base remains in gabber, but whereas last year’s effort mostly relied on the beat to do most of the work, Anaconda Trax brings in more elements to deliver a more playful punch. The key addition is vocal samples, made clear right away on an opener breaking out a Sir Mix-A-Lot sample (get it?), turning “Baby Got Back” into an element of an aggressive dance track carrying a whiff of fun (plus, turns out those whip sounds were made for something a bit more suffocating). Voices add lightness to otherwise heavy songs, from the flexing of “Don’t Give A Shit” to the understated skitter of “Freak,” the best mid-point between juke and gabber from CRZKNY yet. Get it here, or listen above.
