Cardopusher’s had a particularly prolific year since his BNR EP “A Convenient Excuse Pt. 1,” with releases for Super Rhythm Trax, Dark Entries, and Dalmata Daniel. Despite the accelerated timeline, there’s a notable progression in “A Convenient Excuse Pt. 2,” with Cardopusher appearing to be a producer in fast-forward stride.

If Part 1 was a survey of the darker side of 80’s industrial and EBM, Part 2 takes a more focused look at the sort of “haunted italo” begun with “Temporary Forever” from the previous release. Four of the five tracks are uptempo and club ready this time, driven by vicious arpeggios and bit crushed drums. Skinny Puppy atmospherics still make their appearance, and it’s still music to play a tabletop game of Shadownrun to. That alone is perfectly satisfying as it’s always done impeccably by Cardopusher. But things get really interesting when one is reminded not of historical musical influences, but of Cardopusher’s own Venezuela-to-Barcelona past. “A Convenient Excuse Pt 2” isn’t mechanical cyberpunk, it’s immensely human, with a syncopated Global South funk in the percussion that denies the discarnate. With so much movement in a genre known for coldness, it’s likely this energy that will continue to propel Cardopusher into his next prolific year.