Nerkkirn: Mudlark (V025) is out now and available via Bandcamp, Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music, Youtube Music and others.

The driving “War Cloud” opens as an unforgiving banger, followed by the off-kilter stomper “Chance Shot.” Atop broken stuttering rhythms of “Foolish Pleasure” are the esoteric sounds of a malfunctioning SH-101 pre-repair. “Mudder” is pure, unadulterated wonk with fierce snare and hat interruptions. “Dust Commander” hits the throttle again — industrial techno meets pulp sci-fi nav console. 

It all makes a ravey follow-up to the duo’s leftfield outing on Kirn’s imprint Establishment late last year, “XY Moods.” 

Fittingly, the duo – each with experience writing about and producing electronic music machines – debuted a live version of the album for the legendary Berlin synthesizer gathering Superbooth.