For the second release on London-based Tender Hooks, Lakosa & Rick Grant deliver 'Static / Temptations', a smoky lo-fi techno workout featuring remixes fromKornel Kovacs and Severn Beach. With releases on George Fitzgerald's ManMakeMusic and TAKE Records (which he runs a third of), Rick Grant has for the last few years been honing his craft. His recent collaborator, Birmingham-come-London resident Stef Smith aka Lakosa has been releasing a steady stream of garage-inflected Techno for 2nd Drop, Kerri Chandler's Madtech Records and many more. Opening track 'Static' is a dusty late-night groover. Indistinguishable samples ebb and flow around the beats before a bumping bass movement delivers the muscle 'Temptations' is a darker cut of sooty techno. A meaty drum pattern provides the backbone while subtle synth motifs and vocal nuances float throughout. Severn Beach steps up with a burgeoning dancefloor edit of 'Temptations'. The somewhat darker alias of house maestro James Fox, Severn Beach pushes the envelope for high-gain, warm & punchy techno. With releases for Audio Culture set to drop this year and a brace of other exciting projects, we're excited to have this talent on board. Fresh out of Sweden's Barnhus Studio comesKornel Kovacs, rounding off the EP with a startling, melancholic remix of 'Temptations'. Completely flipping the vibe of the original on its head, Kovacs masterfully weaves the source material into non-linear forms with plenty of "strössel" on top. Tender Hooks is a label & bi-monthly(ish) party residing at Corsica Studios in South London. More