out now: Barker – Like An Animal EP [Leisure System]

Artist:
Barker

Title:
Like An Animal EP

Label:
Leisure System

Cat#:
LS003

Release Date:
16th April 2012

Format:
12″ & digital

Tracklist:
01)
Like An Animal

02)
I Feel

03)
Hot Lover

Info:
Leisure System, the collective, label and 4-year long famed Berghain party is back with their third release from co-founder and resident, Sam Barker. Known for its genre-defiant lineups, the quarterly residency has consistently brought together artists with varying styles. Flying Lotus, Autechre, Afrika Hitech, Jackmaster, Surgeon, Jimmy Edgar, Blawan, 808 State, Dopplereffekt, Clark, Machinedrum, Surgeon, Venetian Snares, Objekt and Egyptian Lover have all graced the decks, showing off the collective’s commitment to the exploration of new and experimental sounds in EDM. The development of the label, and now this release from Barker, is no exception.

After discovering computers and raves in the late 90’s, Barker began making tracks at age 13, building up a sizable collection of vintage analogue synths, paving the way for his future solo work and collaborations with artists like Tim Exile, Clark, Shitmat, Scotch Egg, The Field, Leafcutter John or Jimmy Edgar. Shortly after his 2007 move to Berlin, Barker began collaborating with fellow Berghain resident nd_baumecker, resulting in their ongoing project Barker & Baumecker. Their first EP ‘Candyflip’, was released on Ostgut Ton in 2010, followed up by a live show tour throughout Europe. The duo is currently readying their 2nd EP and have a long player due out in August.

For this EP, mastered by electronic music legend Pole, Barker presents a creative three-track lesson in diversity and highlights Leisure Systems’ forever evolving aural curiosity. Starting out the EP is ‘Like An Animal’, a number that builds and builds, quickly changing course and mutating into a percussive and texturized melting pot of sounds. Up next the hypnotic ‘I Feel’ which is filled with moody pads and syncopated breakbeat rhythms, eases into the mechanical, yet smooth half-step rhythm of ‘Hot Lover’. This offering is firmly aligned with the timeless sounds of the label’s first two releases from Pixelord and Eprom, pushing boundaries and staying true to Leisure System ideals.

There’s no slowing down for Barker and the Collective in 2012. Expect to hear a lot more from the German beatsmith, with an xFM mix for Mary Anne Hobbs dropping on April 7th, followed by upcoming releases on Ostgut Ton. Leisure System’s party series will continue, with a date in Moscow on March 24th, followed by a Boiler Room Berlin takeover on March 29th, Vienna on April 12th, and then a Berghain homecoming on April 20th.

Listen: