Ten Times Ten

Returning to Culprit with his third EP of original material is one of the brightest American production talents, Chris Manik aka M A N I K with ?Ten Times Ten?. For the third October running, M A N I K delivers an EP of assured musicality, profoundly original and accomplished.. Each of the four songs sets a mood and tone of its own, from the deep melodic nostalgia of ?Breakfast Club? to the subtle breakbeat of the electro-funk work-out that is ?Heartbeat? and the gritty strut of the synth squelch-driven ?Wave Eclectic? giving way to M A N I K?s ballsy but completely justified and immaculately pulled off dip into pure Urban Soul territory with ?These Days? that showcases the producer?s new favourite original weapon ? his own voice. All unified by a shimmering quality of production fast becoming typical of Chris? music, equal parts retro and forward-thinking, edgy, urbane yet retaining its disarming openness and, even, sweetness. M A N I K?s ?Ten Times Ten? shows a talented producer and maturing label in full flight, defining each other?s sensibilities, pushing one another in new and exciting directions while staying true to their credo. ?Ten Times Ten? makes M A N I K the LA- based label?s most frequent competitor and the one who will continue to define its sound.[was]