After the opening VA release in 2016, Snare Tapes follows up with a sublime solo and debut vinyl EP by Russian artist Hoavi. For his first outing on wax, this record highlights glistening talent, offering an extremely mature diversity, with intricate and beautful production on show.

'Hatchet Wielding' kicks off a trio of cuts on the A-side combining pitched down vocal samples, an expressive playfulness on the percussion, and a delightfully jazzy bass structure; a motif that runs throughout the record in fact. Hoavi's musicality is then explored deeper with awkward, off-beat kick drums and phased hats on ‘Birkinswing’, muddled up with cleverly placed stabs and melancholic chords that layer the track as it chugs on and off the beat wonderfully.

Stepping up the pace somewhat, 'Atavus' offers a more dance-floor orientated tone with its machine like percussive micro rhythms that rattle and roll, setting a pace that would sit nicely warming up the floor.

The B-side turns psychedelic, with echo, delay and reverb setting a solemn and elegant mood, whilst the kick arrives and again brings the track back into focus. Organic textures and a scuttling percussion settle as a nervous synth line rises from the depths to add colour and variance, before the epic sense of space and subterranean texture lands with ‘Sunlight Tech’; a dreamland of water, wind chimes and ghostly atmosphere. A tip of the hat to Boards of Canada in ways, it has that nostalgic glow, like a fond memory of sunlight and aimless wanderlust of a happier time. Hoavi has indeed set his own bar extremely high on this second of the series for Snare Tapes.