It’s not actually been a long time since Tengu’s Virtual Reality EP, which released on Korsakov Music in early June this year. Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s released quite a bit since then that makes it feel it’s past time for another partnership with the Dutch dancefloor label. Dancefloor speaks to dancefloor, after all.
Since that powerhouse EP, Tengu has released two tracks on Toronto Is Broken’s YANA Music imprint, a track on UKF’s most recent compilation EP and a collab with fellow Korsakover AL/SO on High Tea’s impressively diverse Jasmine series. All that work and we nonetheless feel it’s high time for another Tengu/Korsakov Music dancefest. Luckily, we’re about to get it.
The dual single “Toxic”/”Out the Way” drops this Friday, September 2 and shows Tengu’s own diversity in a way many fans will not expect. The ostensible b-side “Out The Way” features Whiskey Pete and is a tougher, heavier version of Tengu’s usually jumpy style. There’s a lot of sound design that makes this heavier sound possible: he uses an extremely interesting and possibly heretofore unheard echo effect to make the whole track sound like you’re listening to it inside the Thunderdome. With the starburst synths, the phrase-connecting sub synth and Whiskey Pete’s aggressive/bordering on meniacal vox, when the big surprise hits after the break, fans will be well and truly gobsmacked with this track. 
Our YEDM premiere “Toxic” is more straighforward D&B but there’s a depth to this track that’s surprising as well. That backstage-at-a-bloodsport-arena vibe is back with more echo and cinematic sound design and a number of elements such as the ravey synths, the mixdown and the secondary and tertiary synth chords give a vintage techstep vibe without being too throwback about it. There’s defintely a releating theme to these two tracks with the overall design, and it would be incredibly cool to see them mixed together, perhaps with a cheeky Britney Spears sample mixed in as a nod to OG “Toxic.” Just a thought, DJs.
Even though Tengu and Korsakov Music seem like a predictable pairing because of their sharedlove of dancefloor, “Toxic” and “Out the Way” bring sounds and styles that will be surprising for fans of both the artist and the label. Fitting in perfectly with the moody march into fall gigs, there are endless mix and double drop possibilites for these tracks that will make the dancefloor shake like Mad Max is on his way.
“Toxic”/”Out the Way” drops on Friday, September 2 on Korsakov music. Pre-order avaialble on Beatport.
