- Zak Khutoretsky's music is like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his Mr Universe prime. Muscular and perfectly proportioned, every element has been individually honed to enhance the whole. There's not an ounce of extraneous fat. And like Arnie, it can be tough to love. It's undoubtedly impressive, but is so finessed, so gleaming, that admiration rarely boils over into outright passion. And Hush—the label Khutoretsky reserves for his own output—is DVS1 at his most polished.
Both tracks on the label's second release (the no-kick version "Lost Myself" is exactly as it sounds) are as taught as a tensed tricep. "Lost Myself" is the sparer track, little more than an arp that on rare occasions bursts free of its filter in an electrical snap, only to be quickly grounded again. It whirls above kicks that pound like fists on a punch bag and a murmur of a bass riff. It's a whispered reminder of how little DVS1 needs to craft something effective. By comparison, "S.O.S." is almost flabby, its low-end chuntering away while three ringing notes echo into infinity. If "Lost Myself" is Hood-like in its minimalism, then here Khutoresky shows that ebbing atmospheres can trump pure repetition. Neither track inspires soaring hearts, but it's hard not to admire someone who crafts elegance from so few ingredients.
TracklistA Lost Myself
B S.O.S.
Digital: Lost Myself (No Kick Version)