I don’t know much about Johannesburg, but what I do know is a jumble of contradictions and uncertainties based on hearsay. I try to think of the place and there is no single encapsulating idea ”“ it seems a city still very much in transition from the events of the latter end of the previous century. I dunno if this is just me clutching at straws, but I definitely hear the sound of instability in Blk Jks debut EP. Try to pin down those time signatures, I dare you. Try listening to this without picking it to bits and examining each layer individually, wondering where the fuck this part came from. Try to work out at just what point “spastic TV On The Radio” became a good idea for a genre.On first listen, this sounds all over the place. In a not-so-good way. There’s so many different elements in there ”“ at times its pseudo-afro-dub, at others it’s a fiery crescendo of math-rock, on finale ‘It’s In Everything You’ll See’ it’s a deranged minimalist soundscape. It’s impenetrable, esoteric and seemingly deliberately difficult. It certainly has its moments thought. I was instantly carried away by the glorious last couple of minutes of ‘Lakeside’, but all too often I found myself wishing for something easier, something that begged less for my attention and more for my love.Then I went back to it. Again, and again, and again. It’s still all over the place but, predictably, in a better way ”“ and it just keeps getting better. Once this EP stops begging for your attention and actually has it, you can’t help but pull it apart ”“ SHIT what the hell was that? Repeat. Crap, this drummer is incredible. Wait a minute, is that guitar out of time? Repeat. Wow, two, even three, spaced-out time signatures in the same song!‘Summertime’ is the inevitable ‘hit’ of the EP, given that it almost has a traditional song-structure ”“ there’s definitely something that flirts with being a chorus, even if it isn’t quite there ”“ makes the best use of ‘standard’ instruments, and even has a guitar solo in it’s outro. But it’s the opening two tracks that, on extended listen, have the most about them to make you sit up and really take notice of these guys. Since the rise to prominence of Burial, something that comes across as a blurring between the best elements of dubstep, and more traditional guitar-based music, has seemed inevitable, and it’s almost disappointing that it’s taken so long for it to come through. But it’s definitely been worth the wait. So soon into the year, I can safely say this is the second best release I’ve listened to in 2009 ”“ and if they get around to releasing their full-length debut any time soon (and I don’t use this kind of hyperbole lightly) we are looking at a fo’sho album of the year contender. 80%Blk Jks on Myspace