Canadian producer Tomas Jirku has built a sterling catalog by not doing anything straightforward or ordinary. He burst into the electronic underground’s consciousness in 2000 with his debut LP, Sequins (on Germany’s revered Force Inc. label), a minimal-techno classic, abounding with bizarre, piquant textures and fascinating glitch accents, while keeping a prominent 4/4 thump for your rump. He revealed other facets on Bleak 1999 (No Type), which displays Jirku’s more somber, meditative side, verging on Arctic ambience in spots and also deftly weaving in abstract rhythms through the tenebrous atmospheres.

Recent years have seen Jirku exploring his dubbier inclinations more thoroughly. But with The Event Horizon EP, he’s edging into a vital vein of electro. “Power Block (With The Automatic Message)” is a menacing hybrid of techno and electro, traversing a bumpy path toward visions of futuristic industrial ruins. It’s a bracing, rhythmically choppy soundtrack to a civilization going awry. “Digitally Dextrous” harks back to the thrillingly twisted and enigmatic electro that used to come out on Miami’s Schematic label (Phoenecia, Push Button Objects, etc.). It’s a viciously torqued funk workout and a serious mind/body fuck. On “Event Horizon,” gunmetal gray Autechresque IDM ramrods through your headspace with staccato, brutal kicks, metallic percussive ripples, regimented 303 twangs, and what could be delayed and reversed woodblocks. The title of “Deep Space House” is a self-fulfilling prophecy: It’s a funky, Model 500-like excursion, its asteroidal synth washes swirling amid punchy funk beats, creating a dazzling disorientation.

The Event Horizon represents another peak in Jirku’s brilliant discography and proves he’s not content to simply repeat past glories.

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Support from:

Xpansul - Ovum Recordings
“Yeah! SYNTHS!! Loving this one. Great sound design, super funk, Support!

[a]pendics.shuffle - Adjunct Audio
Nice EP!

Bryan Zentz - M_nus / Thoughtless Music
“Event Horizon is really cool, into Deep Space House as well. Thanks!”

Seph - Harry Klein / Dumb Unit
“ Power Block is nice and funky!

Vidal Romero Carmona - Trax / Clone Magazine
“Tomas Jirku is always a good choice!”

Alex Tolstey - Triangle Eyes / Boshke Beats Records
“Really like this one! Thank you, all the EP is cool!”

Benoît Carretier - Tsugi
“Deep Space House for me”

Heike Reich - Zuendfunk
“Very very interesting, must have all!”

dj T - Get Physical
“Thank you for good music!”

Vince Pollard - Ithinkx / Exclaim! Magazine
“Jirku!”

Jamie Kidd - Nachtstrom Schallplatten
“Great productions as usual from Tomas. Thanks!”

Stefny Winter - Archipel
This is a great EP, thanks! It’s refreshing to hear something out of the norm.”

Raphael Dincsoy - H-Productions / MB Elektronics / Abstract
“Weird but I like”

Revy - Bleepsequence
“Nice off-kilter synthy jams, thanks!”

Luis Rozalen - clubbingspain.com
“Really interesting grooves...martian”

Jaymz Nylon - Nylon Trax
“Love how Deep Space House breathes”

Jerry Abstract - Modern Occult Music
“Fine artistry indeed”

Martin Böttcher - Byte.fm / Deutschland Radio
“Good”

Recess - Shameless Audio
“Deep Space House is the jam!”

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Written and Produced by: Tomas Jirku
Mastering: www.audibleoddities.com
Artwork, layout, design: Tomas Jirku

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exclaim.ca/music/article/tomas_jirku-event_horizon_ep

Vancouver-based producer Tomas Jirku has been working in the medium of electronic music for over 15 years now, a mainstay in the scene since his set at MUTEK in 2000 launched him into the global consciousness. In this time, he has perfected his lightly dubby, minimalist techno style over full-length releases on No Type, Alien8, Intr_version, and other stellar experimentally minded labels. Jirku's latest release, the Event Horizon EP is a shining example of that experience in use.

Featuring additional tweaks from A/V powerhouse the Automatic Message, "Power Block" is an electro-house track heavy on repetition with minor shifts in scale, driven by a warm, analog-sounding bass line that wouldn't be out of place on a Luke Vibert album. "Digitally Dextrous" is pure braindance, with a simple breakbeat enhanced by skittering percussion and a post-apocalyptic, vaguely acidic lead, while the title track has a heavy dub breakbeat, 303 lead and industrial atmosphere with a brisk house breakdown that comes out of nowhere before seamlessly transitioning back to form. Jirku's production is clean, no nonsense; nothing appears out of place. Only serious electronic music heads need apply.