French musician, Hobo Noise is best known for his 2019 single, “Sex Is Work,” a repetitive slice of thumping tech-house. It is a catchy dance track and unlike anything on his new EP, Unreleased Hardware.
Hobo Noise said “between 2015 and 2017 I start experimenting live recordings on hardware material, and I’ve never found a good spot in my previous releases for them.” The three tracks of Unreleased Hardware are so outside the norm for Hobo Noise that they don’t even get proper names; they are simply known as “UH1,” “UH2,” and “UH3.” But just because they don’t fit into his catalog doesn’t mean that they aren’t worth listening to.
The biggest difference between the contents of Unreleased Hardware and tracks like “Sex Is Work” is that these tracks are all instrumentals. “UH1” is filled with lush pads and pitch-bending lead synth over hi-hat heavy drums. It is danceable but fairly chill.
“UH2” is a little more abrasive. Featuring trebly drums and glitchy noises sound like electronic crickets, the track is less melodious than “UH1” but it does have an infectious energy.
“UH3” marries the best of both tracks together. The energetic drum programming is joined by lush synth pads. Bouncy synth arpeggios make up the main melody which is repetitive but catchy. It makes for a wonderful culmination of the EP and although it doesn’t sound like anything else in Hobo Noise’s catalog, it is a worthy addition.
Rating: 6.9/10
