Ruf Dug`s ECZtasy E.P. is his love song to the CZ-5000 – the penultimate model in Casio`s mid-80s range of budget phase distortion synthesizers. Ruffy purchased one after hearing the magic that Satoshi & Makoto created with the machine for Safe Trip. But way before S&M, the CZ-5000 was a favourite of Japanese new age innovator Fumio Miyashita, and French pioneer Jean-Michelle Jarre. Vince Clarke used to compose on a “bank” of CZs – before finally transferring Erasure and Yazoo tunes to his more expensive Roland kit. Alongside Satoshi & Makoto, and Ruffy, other current Casio-converts include Wolf Muller, Gaussian Curve, and Ariel Pink. 

On Shoppin Dr. Dug has his CZ skank against a DMX. While Wet Play Banger is a beatless brain-bender. Where the synth`s 8 sequencers give the TB-303 a run for its money in the acidic ambience stakes. I’ve got Ege Bam Yasi`s Variation scribbled in the margin of my notes. Fruity Dance is locked firmly in the “vibraphone zone”, while on Inward Conversion Process the programmable polyphonics construct a house-not-house  (if it had been made 40 years ago you could call it “proto”) – of bright chiming highs and a bouncing, but growling, bottom-end. Its snapping snares set to “Zouk”. Colored by sparse, Zen, koto-like keys and a deconstructed piano solo. 

You can purchase a copy of Ruf Dug`s ECZtasy E.P. directly from Ruf Cutz.