Bristol’s Rhythmic Theory makes tracks as focused as his name suggests. Like several other producers in his city—Kowton and Peverelist chief among them—he has a take on dance music that prizes dexterous drum programming. On prior 12″s for BRSTL and his own eponymous label, Rhythmic Theory has infused these productions with sumptuous melodic elements, touching on the lusher strains of Detroit techno. “Legacy of the Lost” b/w “Riveted,” his first effort for local mainstay Idle Hands, keeps up his penchant for energetic, rolling rhythms amid a sparser and darker atmosphere than usual.

Idle Hands describes the release as influenced by jungle and drum & bass, which helps to make some sense of its arrangements. The label clearly means the bleaker end of those genres, as another comparison might be found in the recent wave of harder UK techno. On “Legacy of the Lost,” blurry drones snake in and out before an eventual drop, where they are accompanied by thin, hovering strings. The presence of such a drop signals that this is techno done in a jungle/drum & bass style, an idea furthered by the distorted, subby square bass that runs throughout, and the manner in which the producer is constantly rearranging his hi-hats. The swinging “Riveted” is both emptier and ruder, and these facets are highlighted by an almost obtrusively tight snare that dominates the track. It’s balanced out by wormy subs and wispy, echoing synthetics, which have been placed way down in the mix. Neither track goes far beyond the functional, but this is the point. Both are absolutely of their time, and one assumes their bass-music influence will help them end up in a variety of DJs’ crates.