Matrixxman - 'The XX Files' [EP stream]

One half of 5kinandbone5 strips down on his newest EP of deep house tracks.

Both as one half of 5kinandbone5 and as a solo musician, San Francisco's Matrixxman has been restless, failing to stick to a particular genre for more than one release at a time. Over the past couple of years and a hefty number of releases, he's covered everything from 2-step garage to bass-shaking hip hop to vogue house, and on 'The XX Files' EP – premiered earlier on The FADER – he turns his attention to comparatively stripped down deep house. As you'd expect from someone constantly shifting gears it's a rather hit-and-miss affair, straddling between photo-realistic recreation and straight-up pastiche, although the best tracks hit hard – ignore the Mr. Fingers-aping Credentials, for example, and focus on the throbbing Green Velvet-styled drum roll of Protocol.