Released April 4, 2025, +39 (shock selector) by Estonia’s very own FIKO LAFAFA is a shot of unfiltered speed garage adrenaline. It’s gritty, industrial, and unapologetically bold. It’s the sonic equivalent of a fog-drenched warehouse rave somewhere deep in Ida-Virumaa, where basslines snarl and strobe lights sync with your pulse.
From the jump, +39 (shock selector) opens with a barrage of hard-hitting beats and an edgy, near-menacing refrain. Sirens wail overhead and create an atmosphere of urban chaos and underground cool. There’s an icy, metallic texture to the track as techno glitches twist and scatter, while cold synth waves creep underneath, giving the entire piece a disorienting yet addictive allure.
FIKO LAFAFA drag the garage through the industrial ruins of Eastern Europe and coat it in raw, sweaty rave energy. There’s a charming lawlessness to it—especially when you consider the track was made entirely without a sober moment in the process. Somehow, that adds to its authenticity. It feels primal, visceral, instinctual… like the track made itself during a night of total abandon.
The production is dirty in the best way possible: basslines thump with body-rattling force, hi-hats skip like loose wires, and the distorted vocals (or vocal-like FX) act more like instruments than lyrics. FIKO LAFAFA says it’s meant to hit. And hit it does.
While it draws inspiration from the UKG scene, what sets +39 (shock selector) apart is its Estonian industrial flavor that brings a certain frostbitten grit that makes it feel more Eastern Bloc than East London.
In essence, +39 (shock selector) is ruthless, kinetic, and oddly hypnotic. It’s the sound of a DIY rave buried under snow, surrounded by smokestacks and flickering neon. And with more tracks on the way, FIKO LAFAFA’s chaotic creativity promises to keep pushing boundaries—sober or not.
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Review by: Naomi Joan