The Mole – Extended Hugs EP

Part of a tight knit Canadian expat community in Berlin that includes Mathew Jonson and Adam Marshall, the Pythonesque Mole’s adventures continue to prove that Canada has some of the liveliest wits and tightest beats in modern day house music. 

So the story goes that the Extended Hugs EP is inspired by a remarkable feat of ingenuity during an egg catching contest held in Toronto, our erstwhile hero The Mole’s home. To cut a long story short, the winning egg was sealed in a jar along with a clutch of molasses. Crashing from the heavens the jar broke into a million tiny fragments leaving a gooey cushion for the egg to rest unblemished in. Quite what this has to do with The Moles loopy, chugging disco influenced house music is anyones guess. 

The three tracks all weave samples into the banks of drums set down by The Mole. Where his DJ sets wander through many a 4/4 style his productions are defined by the chug. On the Extended Hugs EP a direct approach is taken on each of DJ friendly tracks. Despite the bloody-mindedness there are enough quirks within the tracks to keep such linear tracks engrossing. Subtle shifts in texture and tone all flow naturally building momentum and adding dynamism to simple loops.  

Swelling with grainy, dubbed out chords and far away vocals, Que Que swirls around the constant, chugging low end. This is typical Mole fare, adding tension and drama as chords break over drums again and again. 

Beaver Club takes a similar approach and again chugs along, bringing an air of mischief while creating a heady atmosphere. Pulsing and stripped back without being skeletal this is a formidable dancefloor weapon. Initially unassuming it sweeps together disparate strands of tension into a dark looming monster. 

Some tracks just want to find their own place on the floor, Jonny McHockey turns its nose up in all directions, preferring instead to wind away to itself rather than join the throng. Content with its dirty low end knowing mischief, samples are splattered about, while off kilter drums add a little menace to complete an aloof little number. 

Molasses aside, here Fur Trade serves up a tight package of rough and ready house tracks. Perhaps the story’s moral of taking something and finding it a purpose far removed from everyday rationale reflects the unhinged Canadian’s approach to his sample heavy productions. As it happens, his outside of the box thinking often distinguishes himself in the very clinical world of moving a dance floor. 

Ben