The Local Action imprint has carved out a solid niche in its year-plus of existence, and T. Williams has undeniably been the label’s top act. Considering that Williams also heads up his own equally impressive imprint, Deep Teknologi, the London-based producer has pulled off quite the feat. “Break Broke” is his third single for Local Action, and finds him stretching his sonic repertoire.
Unfortunately, his experiments aren’t always for the better. The record’s two b-sides, “Go In” and “Analog Tour,” both find Williams a bit clumsy while attempting to weave some new elements into his sound. From a musical standpoint, “Go In” is actually pretty standard Deep Teknologi fare with its shuffling tribal drums and stripped-down nods to South African house. That said, the song’s vocal element, a robot-like voice saying “Go In” seemingly ad infinitum, quickly becomes grating. “Analog Tour” is a much bigger depature, with Williams exploring billowy synth melodies and old-school acid breaks. The track has its moments, but comes off more like a producer messing around with his new toys than a cohesive song.
Much more successful is the single’s title track, which also leans heavily on a repetitive vocal sample, albeit one that is more deftly cut up and is smartly not employed throughout the tune’s entire seven-and-a-half-minute duration. “Break Broke” also includes Williams’ usual hard-hitting percussion, along with thick, fuzzy basslines and some lilting, Night Slugs-esque synth melodies. It’s the kind of track that could easily set off a dancefloor—especially with its lengthy intro and head-turning drop—and provides solid evidence that Williams is capable of expanding his palette without going awry.
