Asthmatic Astronaut has had a busy few months. He produced Texture’s excellent 3D Eye single, released an EP of beautiful electronic tracks from 2011-2015 called Washed Away, and dropped his outstanding album Spirit World; the latest single from which is The Wraith, featuring Jackal Trades to superbly unsettling effect.
The Wraith sounds like glaciers cracking under pressure. Subby bass like drowned sonar sounds, propel the subtle beat underneath Jackal Trades’ trademark raspy vocals, with an understated urgency. There’s a Lovecraftian eeriness to the restrained production; a feeling that something ancient and unholy could burst through the trappy hi-hats and scraping synth pads at any moment. Jackal Trades’ verses are perfectly suited to the atmosphere, his lamenting rap dissects modern life and cuts a bleak figure before giving way to a melodic husky conclusion.
The Wraith is the sound of a producer at the top of his game working with one of the most talented MCs around; it’s an unstoppable combination.