another review for a great Delsin Records release...

$TINKWORX
Ain't-Chit History
Record label: Delsin (The Netherlands)
Format: CD
Release date: 14 June 2004

(Review originally posted to the BSOTS website October of 2004)

Not too much is known about $tinkworx other than they are an NYC transplant currently residing in North Carolina. After releasing several vinyl singles for Delsin, it was definitely time for the CD massive to get theirs, which is where Ain’t-Chit History comes in. This collection offers a comprehensive look at $tinkworx’s catalog, some of which includes out of print singles from the Down Low and Bunker labels. When you hear the name $tinkworx, funky discofied house is probably the last sound you’d hear in your mind, but that’s exactly what they provide. “Whut” and “No Luv” are sample-happy tracks comparable to Daft Punk’s early period, but with a more polished sound. This is not to say that it’s better; it’s just that it doesn’t contain the same raw energy. $tinkworx singles are spit-shined jams designed to sound pristine with every listen.

There’s also an ample amount of techno on this comp, from the complex to the energetic. “Drexion Caves” and “Icing On the Bitch Ho” are fast-paced and frenzied compared to the other tracks, sounding like selections to be used as a street racing soundtrack for a Playstation 2 game. Meanwhile, “All Night Long” and “Todas Las Noches” are robust pieces of midtempo electronic soul. The former contains tiny samples slicing through the main theme while the latter wears pretty acid riffs like glitter. For the ultimate in $tinkworx sophistication, skip over to “Raise Up,” a song that can rival just about anything in the Environ Records catalog. Handclaps hold down the beat while jumpy bass lines and warm chords add substance to the groove. I’ve always thought of this artist as one of Delsin’s star attractions; hopefully this collection will lead others to $tinkworx and the Delsin label as a whole.

{cali ginseng}