Philadelphia’s Starkey has been building quite a reputation for himself over the past couple years. Since his 2006 debut on Werk Discs with the Local Headlines 12”, Starkey has been steadily releasing a stream of killer singles for labels like Slit Jocky and Lo Dubs. Having partnered up with the London-based Planet Mu imprint earlier this year, he’s finally dropped his debut full-length, Ephemeral Exhibits, and it’s well worth the wait. Featuring 12 of Starkey’s finest woofer shredding anthems, the LP showcases the signature “Street Bass” sound he’s crafted for himself. Pairing a dash of IDM and breakcore with a massive helping of dubstep’s low-slung sonics, Starkey’s beats settle somewhere between Rusko’s jump-up club bangers and the more cerebral fare offered by producers like Scuba or Pinch, even verging near material that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Burial release (check “Miracles,” if you don’t believe me). While the album isn’t without a couple missteps, it’s overall a strong full-length debut for a young producer who no doubt has a bright future ahead of him.
Carl Ritger
File under: Rusko, Burial, Scuba