Bleep

Protect-U, Washington DC’s Aaron Leitko and Mike Petillo, finally unveil their full-length debut. On Free USA, released via the Future Times imprint, the pair showcases an impressive array of house and techno based modes. Whatever the style, the duo’s sparkling melodies and dexterous drum programming shine through. Breezy opener ‘Needs’ works like Miami freestyle fed through a dicer, and ‘F-USA’ is a fine approximation of hyper-distorted Chicago tech-house. ‘Distored’ pairs jackhammer kicks with eerie synths, while swinger ‘Top Hat’ hinges on an off-kilter, rolling beat. Also recommended are the straight-faced 4/4 swing of ‘Time 2 Technique’ and free flowing, extended closer ‘Down The Tubes’.