XLR8R last saw Manchester-based producer and Spontaneous Rhythm label head John Howes when we posted his track “Asiko” as a free download back in January. Howes’ newest production venture, Cassetteworks, is a collaborative effort with young music student Michael Haddon; together they aim to explore the darker side of house and techno, as hear on the duo’s premiere track. The aptly titled “001” is chock full of gritty percussive elements and unstable low end, evoking the tough and despairing attitude of a lone survivor on an abandoned planet.

001