Sometimes the coolest techno is not the techno that bangs, but the techno that takes a single idea and rolls with it. Literally. Here, Croatian maestro Petar Dundov takes a lite-dub techno aesthetic, marries a beautifully ebbing Eastern European melody and stretching it out across deep pools of toms, skittering, echoing bass drums, and a hypnotic bassline. The approach here, musically speaking, is simple. Yet, the dynamics applied here are really what make this such an amazing track. You can almost hear the track undulate, curve, and dip at various times across its main riff. The idea of dynamics is heavily married to techno and nowhere is it more evident than here, on this lush, aural tapestry of a cut that Dundov has crafted. The melody itself even drifts along without pattern, sounding equal parts Mediterranean and Eastern European at the same time; deftly crafted to swing from cinematically somber one moment to deep and emotive the next. Here, Dundov has crafted yet another journey along a calm, moonlit shoreline: peaceful and quite bleak, yet pulverizing in its magnetic and hypnotic sway. The title tells it all: a place you can see and almost feel, that at the same time, exists just out of reach. Beautiful.
---
Petar Dundov - Oasis
Where Distant Shores teased listeners with its brilliant swathes of atmosphere and melody, 'Oasis' rolls the melody out almost immediately, and it's noticeably warmer (and even adds in a little bit of Middle Eastern flair) standing in stark contrast with 'Distant Shores'. However, the focus is still on atmosphere, and here Dundov crafts with equal precision and detail a throbbing, breathing world that the darting little melody dances around in. The percussion is decidedly lighter this time around, but the bassline and atmosphere sure aren't. Nearly half-way in, the bass really starts to churn, humming along with a slightly ominous bent as the main melody starts to push deeper and deeper into the track, giving it a fuller, more angelic sound. Farther on, a much clearer synth doubles the second on riff duties, beefing up the hi-end without sacrificing the pulsing low-end. Again, here is a track with no peak, no pay-off, no climax. It is the journey, again, that matters: a beautifully made, texturally-deep slice of techno that shouldn't disappoint Dundov's fans.
---
Petar Dundov - Rain
At this point in the post, it should be quite clear the kind of techno Petar Dundov crafts: melodic dub techno with a deft eye for atmosphere and dynamics that forgoes climax for mood and a journey the listener won't soon forget. And guess what? More of the same here. The melody and pads are graceful, lush, and perfectly produced. There really isn't much more to say. Yet another success for Dundov, an emotive cut of dub techno that sounds in line with 'Distant Shores' almost. The melody is much more intricate and even features a beautiful harmony too.
---
If you'd like more on Dundov, he's released an album on Music Man Records in 2008, 'Escapements', that features the above two cuts plus six others. 'Distant Shores' has just been released on Music Man and is available for download on beatport.com. All these cuts, minus '...Shores', are all available on iTunes as well. If you need some wind-down or relaxing music, you can't fare much better! Hats off to Petar Dundov and hope to hear more from him soon. Enjoy, friends. -NL
Now here's a subject I don't often find myself talking about: progressive house. Sure, techno and minimal and tech house can be nuanced, deep, atmospheric, all kinds of adjectives. But when it comes to progressive house, what's the one word you're looking for? Big. Epic. Massive. Y'know, the hugest tracks with the hugest hooks. But even here there's differences to be found. Is the hook a slice of summer-time feel-good joy or a commanding missile of a tune that demands you dance? Every tune is different (unless it's some crap from Afrojack) but seriously, here are a few tracks to bite into for a taste of late 2000's progressive house. I also won't mention Pryda here, because honestly, Pryda is on a whole 'nother level. This is the tier below that. But make no mistake, these tunes are not any less epic. Just not as much so!
Paul Thomas & Jerome Isma-Ae - Tomorrow
Some tracks go for melodic hook madness, but Paul Thomas & Jerome Isma-Ae's most recent track for house monolith Toolroom features a more melodically subdued hook that's more euphoric for the epic, unabashedly anthemic synth stabs applied. That spine-tingling vocal works great too; this is a true hands-in-the-air anthem that will get more than a few spins this winter. It's still true to Paul Thomas's rumbling, almost techno-esque bassline and Isma-Ae's sense of how to craft the simplest hook but somehow making it seem like the second coming of God. Truly a massive track.
---
Michael Woods - Dynamik
For this UK producer's debut EP on mau5trap (you read that right, Deadmau5's label) Woods goes all out with a title track that's an absolute monster. In the vein of Paul Thomas and Funkagenda, Woods's percussion is muscular and the bassline is not in the least bit lean. A minute in the breakdown begins, almost cinematic in its precision, fervor, and atmosphere, washing everything out and slowing coaxing in the multilayered hook that is just....breath-taking. You begin to get a sense that the best progressive tracks do not rely just on hooks, but have a keen sense of progression and mood that let things build like techno, only more quickly and with a more immediate pay-off. Equally important is crafting the breakdown so that the climax arrives at precisely the right moment. When it's done right, like here, you get goosebumps it sounds so dang good. Hats off to Woods, hope to see more of him in the future.
---
Adam K - Wake Up feat. Naan
Adam K has a very distinctive style that relies heavily on triplets, moody pads, and a very simplistic application of kicks and hi-hats. But for all the crap people give him about his tracks all sounding the same, they all sound dang good, what's there to dislike. Progressive house either leans heavily on vocals or it doesn't at all. Here the vocal, provided by vocalist Naan, works beautifully over Adam K's lush, wholly progressive house landscape. This is nearly the stuff of trance; not a moment wasted, every second building the tone and mood of the track, giving it the power it needs to deliver that massive drop, and once again Adam K delivers. Massive tune.
Rarely will you find me championing a tune other than the newest Pryda or Seb Leger release, but months after playing this track over and over again, I'm finding it won't leave my feet or my brain anytime soon. Also, this has nothing to do with Spock at all. Justin Martin and Ardalan's masterpiece of ghetto-tech-house bops along with a warped growl, a deep bassline, and...operatic swells? This sounds like something that belongs right at home on dirtybird: very funky, groovy, with a pounding bassline more reminiscent of hip-hop than house. Either way, those operatic vocals swell, and you know something's about to happen. Then...the drop. The bottom collapses and the most satisfyingly groovy/ghetto bassline drops, and you go nuts. Trust me, if you don't elicit some form of groan while listening to this, you're probably dead inside. A peak-time track if ever there was one, full of novelty but equally full of groove and fun and fresh-ass sounds. And what a drop. Holy crap. You think you've heard them all, and then you hear something better. If this isn't one of the top 5 tunes of the year over at Resident Advisor, I will be extremely disappointed. I recommend multiple listens at max volume, a lot of people, and a LOT MORE BASS.
Tres Demented (Laurent Garnier & Carl Craig) - Demented (Or Just Crazy)
This is about as tribal as you'll ever hear Carl Craig go, but I'll be damned if this isn't a dirty, muscular drum workout that literally shakes with a demented, ferocious energy all its own. Frequent bursts of male bellows, yelps, screeches, and gasps punctuate the track and only build the tension that the percussion churns out. This is a full-blown tribal house-fest, and when everything swirls into a crazed, chaotic maelstrom, only to have the kick drop around 3:55...this track explodes from the inside out. A pulsating, looping drone opens up and the track just...well, it just chugs right along. Few tracks ever create this much energy, let alone sustain it. A great peak-time track if used right. Hell, this could probably cause architectural damage...
---
Reference - Best Night In Detroit
The B-side to this decidedly "Detroit" release from natives Reference takes a Detroit spin on dub techno that leaves you with a warm feeling all over, even after the track has stopped spinning. One half of the duo, producer Luke Hess's influence is almost immediately noticeable: lush, dub-inflected pads quiver with a depth and peaceful ebb and flow of that good ol' Detroit sound. More rhythmic than the A-side, 'Best Night...' goes for depth and warmth and succeeds definitively, with classic Detroit chords eventually bathing themselves inside this spacious, creamy bath-tub of dub. An introspective turn on a classic sound that's perfect as a techno lullaby as it is a sexy, sensuous Detroit-influenced slab of dub techno. Majestic, powerful...comforting.
---
Reshuffle - The Uppershelf
Reshuffle (Guy Gerber & Niv Hadas) appear on Gerber's own 'Supplemental Facts' imprint with yet another slice of dark, ominous techno. After 'Hedonism' (my favorite track of theirs and included on my most recent mix) 'Uppershelf' takes eery metallic pads and reverbs the hell out of them as a warped, rib-crushing bassline creeps out of the ether. A dissonant looped bell tone creates even more tension until what enters? An even MORE creepy synth line that tails off into the distance before cycling back time and time again. This is the very edge of techno before we get into horror territory...but such a well-produced slice of techno that still somehow can get people to dance is a testament to Gerber's fondness for occupying his empty spaces with dissonant ambience, dark, warped basslines, and vaguely eerie synth leads. And he's done it again. This ain't no 'Hedonism', but it can still stand on its own in any set and works great as a near-peak tune. A literal machine of evil.
It's always hard to get my hands on a Perlon release. For starters, it's a vinyl-only label. Well, that's mostly it. But here we have a vocal-based techno cut that builds a track around the vocal line. A drugged-out vacuous pad whooshes and spirals around the sinister voice as it goes on and on, slowly, powerfully, deeply. The vocal line was clearly not an afterthought, as everything from the hypnotic, near-dissonant bell synth, muscular bassline, and twisted metallic toms works underneath the voice, as if it's controlling all movement and change within the track. It's a journey, to say the least. A masterwork of mood and method from one of Perlon's elite.
---
H.O.S.H. - Cash The Chord
The most recent single from the Diynamic camp is a buoyant, bubbly little tech house cut that features a tense, spastic percussion section underpinning a typically groovy rhythm and a somehow not-annoying piano riff. Laid-back and almost jazzy, it fits the mood and groove to a tee. There's even a lite-string section thrown in for good measure. Plenty of bounce, plenty of groove, easy to mix in and out of, not much more you could ask for from H.O.S.H.
---
DJ Falcon & Thomas Bangalter do Call On Me in a big way
This sort of speaks for itself. "Call On Me" morphed into a shimmering, nine-minute summer hands-in-the-air epic that goes for elation over pounding bass. Absolutely in love with this. If you weren't tired of this song before, this won't change any minds. But it might bop some heads.
It's a shame Get Physical has fallen off so hard recently. This nearly two-year old track comes from a period of superb GP output, and it's easy of course to get behind such a tune as this. The Israeli producer rolls out a raucous, glittering cut of tech house veined somewhat in the MIddle East. The shimmering, clicky pads highlight the descending, stabbing main synth riff, a simple, slithering beast that creeps up on you and is gone before you get point it out. A tersely tight bassline rounds out the package on this easily-mixed, well-produced builder.
---
Black Strobe - I'm A Man (Audion's Donation Mix)
As the techno-versed third of Matthew Dear's personas, Audion turns in a slow-burner of a remix here for French duo Black Strobe. A somber organ riff lights the wick that catches warm, gaping pads and a cavernous bassline, while shrill, metallic echoes click in and out of the track. The vocal line (this is a remix after all!) works well here, but, to me, it really is not that noticeable. The organ and the bassline absolutely swallow everything in their path, as the trance-esque chord stabs build to a crazed, volatile crescendo before being beaten to a pulp by the bassline and the hissing, insistent hi-hats. This is some kind of masterpiece, I'm just not sure how. Whatever the case may be, it commands attention and threatens punishment for all who fail to comply. You have been warned.
---
Patrick Chardronnet - Ledge
Frequent Connoisseur, Poker Flat, and Raum...musik collaborator Patrick Chardronnet turns in a dark, melancholy slice of deep minimal with the aptly-titled "Ledge". An ominous echoing pad kicks off the track, buoyed by the ever-present clicking hi-hat, a slab of a heavy bassline rolled out soon after. Out of the ether soon comes a delicate, paper-thin pad that threatens to break under any sort of pressure. Against the pop and crackle of vinyl, a ghostly, subdued synth riff ripples into view, layered over the bassline for a solid, instantly-pleasing groove. Soon the eery synth echoes come back in, the air thick with remorse and sticky with the sweat of a satisfying groove. There's something...odd about this track. The atmosphere is dense, but it's completely danceable, playing a rocky middle-ground that it teeters over from time to time, like some kind of...ledge. Yeah. Enough said. A satisfying minimal monster from a consistent producer.
Gui Boratto stands as a master of warm, lush techno landscapes that never sacrifice atmosphere for emotion, making many of his productions cathartic as they are danceable. "Atol" smears a glistening, airy synth riff underneath Boratto's usual live-sounding percussion. The main synth riff hums with life and vibrance, and bringing to mind waking up on a beautiful summer morning, the sun in your face, your soul full of happiness and joy. Boratto's percussion is layered and very full-sounding, giving his delicate melody the perfect bed on which to lay as it whisks the listener across the sky through the almost-trancey breakdown. Everything here complements everything else superbly. A jubilant cut of techno that plays that middle ground of emotion and groove perfectly. Breath-taking.
---
Kollektiv Turmstrasse - Eskapade
On one of their few turns on Diynamic Music, German duo Kollektiv Turmstrasse have turned in a restrained yet ebullient slice of techno that moves from subdued and focused to a controlled raucousness that slowly trickles in emotion until the curtain is torn down and the light bathes the track in light. At first glance a somber, slow-burning track, this cut slowly builds a groove that chugs along with a single note synth ringing in the background. Next, a harmonic pad slides in underneath it, and finally one more harmonic element rings atop it; a calm, beautiful peak that speaks to the quiet emotion the track carries. The melody later rings out on its own, until another layer of synth is added. While definitely taking a noticeable sad turn, the track is still lush with emotion, power, and groove. Wonderful as a builder, glorious as a peak.
---
Pryda - Privilege ID
Yeah, yeah, there's no official title, sure. But that's not what's important here. Prydz is so ahead of the competition that his unreleased IDs get more views and spins that most other producers' released tracks. Speaks to the quality and power of his tracks. Here, Prydz goes with a spastic, pulsating synth build that churns with raw power behind the almighty kick. The vocal line shoots this track into the stratosphere, an epic build that accompanies an equally euphoric breakdown. But then, that's the glory of a Pryda track: epic build, epic melody, epic breakdown, rinse and repeat. Need I say more? Imagine this live...
With morning comes light. Here are a few tracks I've been on to lately:
Stimming & Einmusik - Madleine
The A-side to this formidable EP is "Madleine", a groovy deep tech monster that features Stimming's prototypical unwaveringly stoic bassline, rippling percussion, and Einmusik's equally lilting chord stabs and trinkling harmonic synths. The duo gets everything right here: the right tempo that keeps this train moving without letting it spiral off the tracks, a rhythm section that bounces in true Diynamic fashion, and a precisely-timed breakdown that soothes the ears but doesn't go completely unnoticed. A wonderful builder and a perfect complement to the destructive B-side.
---
Stimming & Einmusik - Magdalena
Where the A-side went for depth and a solid, creamy groove, the B-side goes for big-room in a number of ways. The rhythm crashes out of the gate with a thick, driving kick and a rumbling pad over which aqueous synth stabs are applied. The percussion is really where this track goes off; Stimming's handy-work brings a layer of hi-hats over the crisp, barreling low-end. Paired with the monstrous main synth stab melody, there's a real sense of urgency here, and around 3 and a half minutes when the hi-hats give out and come back in, you can almost feel the waves of bass crashing back into you. This is a slab of big room techno that in and one itself is the peak, a beautifully constructed piece of percussion-driven mayhem that breathes down your neck and doesn't back down for the entirety of the eight minutes it spends on the deck. An amazing cut if I ever heard one.
---
Gabriel Ananda - Hyperballet
Gabriel Ananda produces a sort of techno that reminds one of a Cadenza record: crisp, organic techno, only Ananda laces his with a bit more structure and catchy little melodic hooks that give his music a bubbly, groovy aura to them that permeates through you. At least, that's what I hear on "Hyperballet". Kicking off with a shrill, high-pitched little riff, bubbles of pads burst around Ananda's crisp bassline and woodland-sounding rhythm section. But all this rolls under the atmospheric main riff, a beautiful, simple little thing that gets into your head and squeezes your heart ever so slightly. A shimmering, vivacious little riff if ever there was one, it is the track's centerpiece, and my only caveat is that it's around for too short a time. This is amazingly produced organic techno fare, and I highly recommend a listen. It nearly brings me to tears.
Every musical movement has a moment. A point in time when everything crescendos; the mood, the groove, the music, it all peaks. It is in this single moment that can make or break the movement; think of it as a journey, scaling a mountain, for instance. One can either successfully reach the peak, or fall behind, overshadowed by the mountain's wake. The mix cd is a format almost tailor-made for this moment, investing a good three-quarters of an hour towards a single moment of musically, physical, and emotional ecstasy that requires that prerequisite time investment. The mountain is much the same story: it's hard to get straight to the top. To get there, one must climb. And usually, the summit is always in sight. Such is not the case for the mix cd. All one can do is allow the groove to cradle you in its gossamer, sinuous arms and hope it carries you to a better place. What truly makes a mix great? For me, it comes in the realization of climax, knowing the moment at the moment it drops, gleaning from it that monumental feeling of joy, tapping straight into the groove itself for your own slice of heaven. One such mix that delivers on this difficult-to-recreate moment is Cassy's premier mix for Panorama Bar. Released in August of 2006, the Panorama Bar resident's mix dips its toes in minimal techno, microhouse, and deeper, dubbier tech house for the mix's 70+ minute runtime. Otherworldly voices, slithering bass, and dubby textures permeate every corner of the mix, and Cassy's mixing skills are completely up to snuff. The true joy of a mix cd (besides the aforementioned peak moment) is the inability to notice the track change until its already happened. As one continuous piece of music, it is always a testament to the mixer's skills if one is unable to pick out, with ease, the moment the next track segues in. At the same time, it must also be obvious enough that it catches your attention: useless is a mix that runs a single groove and goes nowhere with it. Luckily, Cassy does not run into this problem at all, and she expertly steers this mix from Shackleton's post-dubstep masterwork "Blood On My Hands" into deeper, spacier territory in DD5's dubby "Sides Of Space" and Thomas Melchior's deep minimal cut "Let's Go Deep". This brings us to track selection, an always crucial element of any mix, seeing as the format basically comes down to a shortened, pre-made DJ set. With 24 tracks in total, and not a single one running for more than four minutes (by a few seconds that is) Cassy's choices range from eclectic (Norm Talley's soulful house remix of "Believe", DJ Abstract's glossy, stuttering "Touch") to blissfully deep (the Melchior and DD5 tracks) to straight-up techno (Redshape's metallic, spacey "Pink Dust", Mathias Kaden's bubbly, groovy "Pentaton") to, well, even dubstep. Cassy's crate runs deep, and her tracks go a long way to creating a seamless, bubbly, and flexible groove. Themes differ from mix to mix, and it's sometimes hard to tell where a mix is going if the mixer doesn't make it immediately clear where they are headed. However, that lack of knowledge can sometimes go a good distance in holding your attention to the mix, curiosity becoming f]your primary motivation to listen and not the groove itself. Everything in moderation, as they say. A balance of both of these, for me, is what makes a great mix. And as previously noted, Cassy moves deftly from one corner of techno to the other in the span of five or so tracks, and the groove is never interrupted. She keeps you guessing, but never stops your feet from moving. The sign of a great mixer and a splendid mix, indeed! The groove floats along melodically, supported minimally to a steady plateau of involvement, never getting in the way of the bass or the drums, the true masters of the groove here. I listened to this mix as I took a nap and I could feel the bass as I slept. Hypnotic, sharp, and so damn groovy, Cassy's track selection will do a number of your feet, ass, and head. Hopefully all three at the same time. The groove never falters but the mood swings around a bit, giving the mix some character and personality for the dancefloor. And that peak moment I discussed before? As I napped, the bass suddenly stopped, and some filtered hi-hats came in, swirling around one another as a synth crept into the background before the heavy, firm groove dropped back in. I bolted up and rewound the mix. That was the moment, the middle of Mathias Kaden's "Pentaton", the beginning of a thick, techno-heavy peak that trails off into a shimmering finish. Cassy's mix stands as the one to beat for me, how to do everything in a mix right. The mixing, the track selection, the peak, the groove, everything is done to a tee with skill and appreciation of the craft and the raw materials. Alone, these tracks are simply dance tracks. Together, they are a movement, a story, a groove. That, in the end, is the point of a mix, bring together many to make one, and do something with it, whatever it might be. Make it groove, make it sing, make it snarl, make it explode. As we close this storybook, remember that in the world of electronic music, the most important tool in your arsenal is the groove. Cassy has mastered it, judging by this mix. May the groove be with you. -NL
It's been too long, friends. Sorry 'bout that. In college now, up at the lovely University of Vermont, and loving every second of it. Let's get down to business now, eh?
The first track I'd like to highlight is an oldie, but one I only recently stumbled across. It's from Chris Liebing's own label, CLR, which is known for boisterous, abrasive hard techno. This cut comes from German producer Tommy Four Seven, and it is by far the hardest-edged techno cut I have ever heard. So dense and so thunderous a tune this is, it literally sounds as if the track is coming apart at the seams. Interestingly, only occasionally does this track rely on a 4/4 drum pattern, giving it a deeper, slower, more ominous mood. The main riff, if you could even call it a riff, sounds like angry, warped white noise trapped in some kind of subspace; desperate for attention but unable to get but a few growls and snarls out. The bassline is gnarled, taut, and monstrous, an entity all its own. An apocalyptic death-march that snarls, barks, and grinds the very membrane of your skull, this is only for those few who truly enjoy techno: this is the outer limits of danceable, down-to-earth techno.
---
This next track is a huge standout for me, a deep minimal disco gem that floats above headspace with a beautifully simple, honey-sweet synth riff that, however simplistic, gets stuck in your head and creeps through your body like some kind of heavenly virus. Go figure. Written by NDF (Sergio Giorgini & Bruno Pronsato) "Since We Last Met" takes gossamer synths, a flitting flute sample, a simple bassline, and a few other simple effects to create a gorgeous aural palette of music that drifts for a little over ten minutes. From time to time a disembodied voice will wander into the soundscape (which sounds like it was partly recorded in a train station) and utter a few simple verses with a similarly ethereal voice. The original is a poignant, deep, and utterly beautiful minimal deep disco cut that will remain on my chill-out playlist for a good long while. Multiple plays recommended.
---
Ricardo Villalobos himself turns up on the flip to remix the original (On DFA, no less?!) and any fan of RV knows what to expect: a deep, snaking journey of organic minimal techno, and that's just what we get. Villalobos builds the groove almost right out of the gate, layering a plinking keyboard with buzzes and blips of the original's minimally lush background. Simple hi-hats compliment the rest of the sound before the vocals drop in. Before, where they stood as compliments to the atmosphere, they juxtapose it here to great effect; ghostly voices drifting slowly in and out, lost with no rhythm or sense of direction. From time to time the original's main riff lingers in, if only for a few seconds, before being submerged in atmosphere and those deep drums. A 17-minute journey, this remix might not have as much of an impression or growth as other Villalobos mixes, but its minimally chilled aesthetic and simple groove make it a worthy addition, and a great home listen or afterhours cut.
My My - Fast Freeze = Playhouse boys My My turns up for the first track, a slow-burning, viscous little tech house bumper. An arpeggiated, fluttering synth line wiggles around amongst forlorn, somehow sensual groans and a light string section that paints a beautifully varied soundscape where, despite not much sound, a lot is going on. My My works their magic best when they're shoehorning detail in a minimalist work. This is wonderful microhouse (minimal house) and a great way to kick off a Cocoon Compilation.
---
Cobblestone Jazz - W = Wagon Repair regulars Cobblestone Jazz burst out of the gate with a niggling little acid bassline and synths that seem to groan hopelessly from the pit the bassline has dragged them into. Hollow yelps jump out here and there, but it builds a churning, masterful rhythm that seems poised on the edge of slipping over into something greater at anyone moment. Soaring, heavenly pads soon enter the mix, building tension and atmosphere beautifully. Congas (?) thump in next, and what you soon have is a beautifully constructed piece of ambient minimal house, fraught with detail, ambiance, and rhythm that anchors it firmly on the early-morning dancefloor. A definite early highlight. That main ghostly vocal riff…it's quite addicting. Just saying.
---
Chaim - Genesis = Genesis is an awful big term to use for your track. That being said, Chaim's 'Genesis' gets off to a typical tech houser start, humming, deep pads and a steady bassline before bringing in a goofy, plodding melody that sounds fairly out-of-place. Halfway in, the larger part of the melody staggers in, brushing up violently with some white noise that makes it waver and jar quite uncomfortably. Odd brushes and toms are brought in at this point, and by the end, what you've got is an interesting little tech house number on your hands. Much like a few of the tracks from Compilation F, however, the main problem is the main riff is neither catchy nor memorable. The rhythm and drum production are fine enough but without that crucial element, this is nearly seven minutes of tech house that really goes nowhere.
---
Stephan Bodzin - Treibsand = German producer Stephan Bodzin, a fairly well-known name in the German scene, dusts off (literally) this deep, thunderous tech house cut that features a monstrous bassline, a rough-around-the-edges feel that suits it well, a liberal usage of sandy hi-hats and ominous hisses to good effect. A beautiful, gossamer pad is brought in to cover the whole affair in a glossy, almost progressive sheen. And let me tell you, it works. This reminds me of Pig & Dan's amazing remix of Beroshima's 'Horizon', a ghostly, thin progressive tune that got torn right down the seams to reveal the monster underneath. Although this track doesn't exactly have the most memorable of lines or elements, the atmosphere really draws you in, and the end result is a deep tech house cut that pleases with its snarling bassline and overall mood. Another early highlight; recommended.
---
Tiefschwarz - Lionel = The German Get Physical boys open their track with a bouncing, whining synth that seems to deepen with each beat. Whooshes are here in plenty, building the foundation for a drop that gives the track a WHOLE lot more bounce, as minimal and holdback as it is. Tiefschwarz employ this bouncing mechanic ad nauseum, in my opinion, with glitched-out sound effects, plinks, and bleeps of all sorts into a minimal house track that could've been a bit more than it is right now. The drop works well, and on a giant system it'll work magic, but form there, the momentum is kind of lost, only near the end does the track really get ominous and start to go somewhere, but by then it's too late. Still recommended, but withhold judgment until the very end.
---
Marcel Dettmann - Sepia 807 = Ostgut Ton player and MDR boss Marcel Dettmann layers his track right from the start with eerie pads and a heavy, mechanized computer mood. This is the skeletal minimal he is known for in full effect. Dark, robotic, and stripped-back, Dettmann rattles the cage a few times, but for the most part this is a subtle, subdued record for him: this be no 'Quicksand', friends. The melodic element is quite eerie and works well with the whole atmosphere: haunting, the faintest organic life-form within this tangled web of wires and bleeps and beeps. However, the line just ain't solid enough for the track. The atmosphere here weaves itself beautifully, and the production is A-grade, just like Dettmann usually makes, but the man has always had trouble with melodies and catchy bits. His best tracks make the atmosphere the catchy part, and that's when he shines. But here, his luster is decidedly, well, lackluster.
Aki Latvamäki - Tämä Tuli Järvestä = This right here is a very interesting track. A more metallic, underwater sound than last summer's 'Sea of Sand', this track pulses and ebbs and flows with the rhythm, like some kraken of the deep patiently waiting for the right moment to strike. The main melodic element is kind of catchy, but ti grows on you as the track progresses. An expertly crafted bit of tech house that hides much depth and detail without sounding too 'full'. The drop of the kick makes this a certified late-night track, a good builder. Also a great listen with headphones. Warped, dark, liquid, this is a unique track from, at least in my experience, a fairly unknown producer. Can't wait to see what Aki is releasing lately!
---
Audion - Fire = Matthew Dear turns on the heat with his entry, 'Fire'. A bubbling, angry little track, 'Fire' features a slow build and some trancey chords that sound, honestly, odd, but they kind of work. They counterpoise the dark nature of the intro synths, in a faux-heavenly manner that darkens the track even more. The drum production here is expert, of course, and the rhythm that feels stripped-back, but it's enough to anchor the track and let the chords soar as more and more are poured on. Liberal use this is not. A sizzling tech house cut is what you get by the track's end, and a middle-of-the-road highlight for sure.
---
Phil Kieran - I Think I'm A Monster = Cocoon regular Phil Kieran follows with a track that kicks off with a pulsating, radar-esque synth blip, while hi-hats patter lightly underneath it. A lonely, melancholy synth can be heard in the background, slowly rising into range. An equally forlorn, yet much darker, synth enters, creeping along slyly, unnoticed until it's smack in your eardrum. Kieran's melody is memorable for its creepy nature and semi-complexity. It's enough to get you to listen, but the effect is not lost WHILE you listen. A man's garbled cries mix with the synth line in a dark tone that recalls the track's very title. I love it when this happens. It's the very nature of the track that harkens back to the title; a creeping, uncertain number that builds in anxiety and fear before asking the question: am I really a monster? By 4:30 we have the answer: I am a monster. It's a dark, twisted take on tech house that does much in almost seven minutes, and while it's not very danceable, it's great for a headphone listen and more an appreciation of what it makes to produce this stuff. Metallic, deep, dark, yet somehow straight-forward, this is a great track and a wonderful follow-up to Dear's track.
---
Jamie Jones - Harajuku = Crosstown Rebels and Freak n' Chic regular Jamie Jones lends his hand of deep house to his cut, 'Harajuku'. Deep, pulsating pads and a light maraca shake give the track an immediate deep house feel. The kick drops, and we have on our hands a wary, cautious note of depth that soon spirals out of control, with a synth that winds itself up higher and higher. However, the whole time, everything firmly grounds itself down on Earth, nothing here is over-the-top or extreme. And that's perhaps to Jones' benefit. At about 2:30, a spacey, warped synth line enters out of the ether, and it's a catchy little number. This deep house number just got launched into the stratosphere, as deep as it paper-thin, this line fits quite well on the whole package, and gives the track some cosmic spice and depth it wasn't necessarily missing, but will be better for having. A great track, a highlight, even, and a nice change of pace from the previous cuts of microhouse and fiercely minimal tech house. Hats off to Jamie Jones.
---
Onur Özer - Halikarnas = Vakant man Onur Özer spices up his number with a Middle-Eastern melody (he is from Turkey, after all) and lots of echo and reverb, giving his cut an unheard-of depth. The tribal feel here is thick, layered, and majestic in its mystery and intrigue. A vocal line is even brought in; the Middle-Eastern flavor hangs like a thick fog over this track, but it's a great builder and a solid dance number. Less atmosphere for more flavor is never a bad sacrifice, and in this case, its done perfectly. Rhythm feels solid, and the instruments used are out of the ordinary. Unique and flavorful, this track is a solid cut in any manner and deserves a spot on your decks.
---
Deetron - Maguma = Rekids man and resident Swiss producer Deetron lays on his flavor of Detroit techno all over the last track, 'Maguma'. Brushed-out hi-hats and a solid kick layer the 8-bit-esque melody and the humming, pulsing pads that run side-by-side it. The common two-note synth riff of so many techno and tech house cuts follows, and the track builds from there, a robotic beast with a soft side that comes from the pizzicato string section underneath it all. An acidic synth line follows the break, and the momentum sort of stagnant. The string section jumps all over the place, and the track, before one final rattling build, finishes off. Not exactly a disappointment, but not the best track on here by any stretch. Still pretty good though, with an ending build that makes up for the lousy break.
Is Cocoon Compilation G better than Cocoon Compilation F? Depends on your perspective. I would say yes. There are less spectacular tracks here, but the overall package is better than F as a whole. But who am I to say? Make your own judgments! That is all. H coming up soon. -NL
Back again! This time with a...massive review. Cocoon Compilation F. Let's get to it.
Every year, techno label Cocoon Recordings releases a Compilation that features twelve new tracks for the summer season from a variety of famed and unknown producers. F was 2006, so let's get to it. All 12. Let's go.
Pier Bucci - Danielle's Dream (miscredited here as Junk) = Formulaic, driving tech house with an eye for minimalism. It pops, drips, oozes robotic structure and sounds very…Cocoon. Dark, bubbly, yet a playful aura pervades, and the track has undeniable bounce to it. Drunken, spastic in places, but propels you headlong into Cocoon's latest summer compilation.
---
Guido Schneider - Animism = Cocoon and Poker Flat producer Guido Schneider turns up with a pliable, tribal minimal tech house cut that features a synth line that sounds like the sound of a metal sheet being bent to and fro before being pitched up, and then down…and then with some flange and reverb thrown on. It's an eerie effect, to be sure, but it just…doesn't completely work. The track has a great vibe without it, rolling, rollicking tech house with an emphasis on the 'roll'. The pattering toms build the tribal feel, and halfway through, the track almost transforms, shot headlong into a warped, metallic jungle with all manner of mechanized flora and fauna throughout. Organic meets robotic here, and it turns out to be a pretty good track. Hats off to a producer who doesn't always have the best productions, to be fair.
---
Adam Proll - Fetch My Blades = An early highlight and one of my favorite tracks off this particular compilation. The bassline is pure genius; deep and subby beyond belief, it chugs along like an analog torpedo, with a raw, blistering audacity that threatens to tear the track in two. One of my favorite basslines ever, I might argue. Match that with fairly held-back drums, liberal use of clipped vocals, an 8-bit line that's pure magic, and metallic little plinks and clinks that round out the drum production. This is another tech house monster, but more in-your-face than the other tracks so far. Doesn't overstay it's welcome either. Highly recommend this one from a definite up-and-comer. oh, by the way, the breakdown is pure white noise bliss.
---
Johannes Heil - One = Not to be confused with Swedish House Mafia's simplistic masterpiece, this Johannes Heil cut is a minimal mini-'beast', if you coiled even call it that, with an electro-influenced synth riff that's, well, bad. Maybe it's the fact that it is coming after 'Fetch My Blades', but the riff is neither memorable nor the best produced bit of work on here. The oddest sound effects are used too, with eerie, wavering howls and ghostly noises coming and going like an late-evening July breeze. The riff is techno, the drums are tech house, and the sound effects are dub techno. This track tries to do different things behind a weak riff. It's a death sentence in my book. Unimpressive, as dancefloor-driven as it is, and an unfortunate misstep for the compilation.
---
2000 And One - Tropical Melons = Turn your flanger on max. This is a driving, warped tech house cut from '100% Pure' boys 2000 And One. Unfortunately, this cut also suffers from the last track's problem: where's the memorable element? The synth riff twists, bends, and partakes all manner of aural madness, but usually this effect is best employed when the riff is, at the very least, catchy! (See Radio Slave's remix of Josh Wink's "Stay Out All Night") That being said, skip this one. Not worth your time, maybe beyond one listen. Another misstep on a compilation that needs to fast redeem itself.
---
Gregor Tresher - Full Range Madness = Great Stuff regular Gregor Tresher blows right out of the gate with an interesting melody that seems to have one foot in the Orient with the other in 1980s Euro-pop. The bassline is raw like freshly cut beef, and the electro-tinged synth line, surprisingly…works. The tempo is fast enough to make this a halfway-decent track. However, Tresher seems to get ahead of himself, and tries to lay on too many elements and too many 'musical' aspects. This is techno for God's sakes! The melody, however interesting, is not actually that memorable, and besides that super-acidic bassline, this track has little else to offer. But it's headed in the right direction! There's even a little medieval Europe in this bad boy. Wow. Speechless.
---
Andreas Kauffelt - Every Morning = This is a Kompakt-sounding cut from German producer Andreas Kauffelt. It suffers from the problems of the latter: interesting melodic element that's…not memorable or catchy. This affair is much spacier, lucid, almost, but firmly grounded in techno, as the rhythm and drums will attest. The breakdown beefs up the low-end, and goes 8-bit blip on us without doing anything really special or extraordinary. Another slab of mediocre vinyl. Shucks.
---
Mathew Jonson - Sub-Atomic = Finally. The lull has been broken. From the outset, 'Wagon Repair' regular and one-third of Cobblestone Jazz's Mathew Jonson turns in a deep, psychotic tech house cut with a snaking melody that is ACTUALLY memorable. The bassline is simplistic and fits the mold of this cut well. THe instruments used, i.e. the warped, freakish synth and the oscillating background pads, they work magic. This is ambient tech house to a tee, an excellent track with a hint of Middle-Eastern magic to it. Recommended much.
---
Guy Gerber & Shlomi Aber - Sea of Sand = The B-side is just as amazing. Go figure. Guy Gerber and Shlomi Aber team up to deliver an ambient techno cut unlike any other. As deep and fluid as it is sharp and watertight in its production, Gerber and Aber go above and beyond with popping bubbles, whooshes of water, and a shimmering, ethereal synth riff that SOUNDS like techno underwater. Dreamy, lucid, with a main riff that literally sounds like bubbles, this groove breaks the fall from grace of this compilation in one fell swoop. Highly recommended, this is a track with no equal. Ambient techno at its peak.
---
Serafin - Liquid Daydream = Serafin turns up on the A-side of the next vinyl record to drop 'Liquid Daydream', a creepy, surreal ambient cut that sounds oddly like…'Sea of Sand'. The dose of atmospheric ooze injects more flavor this time around, but half the time, there's no melodic element. Which you kind of need, even in a techno cut. When it IS present, it's applied well, drifting in and out slyly and warily. A decaying bell sound is brought in, as warped and dissonant as the rest of the elements it surrounds. This is certainly similar to 'Sea' but it's still different; a perky horn riff, more atmosphere, and much less drum production steer this one away form the dancefloor…which is counter-intuitive. Odd. A good track, but it cannot hold a candle to 'Sea' in any manner.
---
David K - Dissonance = The final vinyl record begins with a number from Cocoon's own David K. A floating, paper-thin pad drifts lazily under a great intro drum pattern, before a fat, beefy bassline rolls in to shake things up. The problem here is, nothing is down with the track, only after 3 minutes does a eerie, simplistic string section swell and then…fade. What? This track is called 'Dissonance', but…there is none. There are not even enough elements to create it! An odd track to say the least. Ambient without atmosphere, but a solid drum pattern that goes nowhere, and a squelching, acidic main riff that does nothing at all really. Disappointing.
---
Alex Smoke - If You Mean It = Vakant regular Alex Smoke turns up for the final track, a wheezing, lazy minimal cut that would be right at home on Vakant. But the addition of a flavorful guitar riff makes this one a little interesting. This track gains a bit of momentum, and adds a little bounce and vibe. The noise is sparse, but the musicality, lush. The guitar riff is the anchor, before Smoke goes glitch and cuts up the background into a sputtering, epileptic beast of a track that builds, well, nothing really. The breakdown is light minimal flare, and this is a huge sputter for the last track on a Cocoon Compilation. Light, minimal tribal-esque, almost, that goes nowhere with some interesting elements. Only at the end does a gliding, deep pad begin to make something interesting out of nothing, but it's too late by then. An even bigger disappointment.
---
Save for a few tracks, Cocoon Compilation F tries depth with a minimal flare, but lacks the memorable riffs to pull off much. Much disappointment will be found here, save for three great tracks from Adam Proll, Mathew Jonson, and Guy Gerber & Shlomi Aber. Check back soon for my review of Cocoon Compilation G! -NL
Leading to the release of MOUSEVILLE014 on Wednesday and PRYDA018...soonish? Here's Pryda's newest track as it was dropped on Pete Tong's radio show on Friday.
Holy smokes. Classic Pryda. Need I say more? Take a listen...
Last week, new Jokers of the Scene and Nacho Lovers singles dropped on Fool's Gold. Let's check 'em out!!!
"Revolting Joks" is classic JOTS: wonky, sickeningly abrasive, full of bass, and unabashedly menacing. The track kicks off with a spastic snare and ever-so-deep kick, before bringing a wavering synth to the forefront along with the angry, gyrating snare. The menace never lets off, and things continue to spiral out of control, before the main synth line kicks in: a jarring, wobbling whine of a synth that snarls with a sickeningly powerful agony. It, too, grows, before everything rises and....white noise washes everything away to reveal the kick and the more focused, more aware synth line that snarls with a ferocious tenacity reminiscent of something Crookers or Bob Rifo might drop, only slower and more coherent. At this point, cheesy old movie piano steals the main riff and razor-sharp alarm stabs send this track into sensory and sonic overload, before it kicks into full-on rave dance mode. Amazing. Another beautifully unstable cut from Fool's Gold's Canadian standbys.
On the flip-side, relative new-comer Boy 8-Bit weaves an equally creepy, yet arguably more powerful version of the JOTS original. Immediately he employs an even deeper kick, cutting up the main synth line with a more structured vision. Bringing in machine-gun snares and a goofy flute riff, Boy 8-Bit's version is still pure chaos. Ramshackle drums thud against the wavering flute line while the snare rattles away with an energy and drive the original only demonstrated near the end. The main synth riff slices and dices itself to a haunting shell of its former self, all the while propelled by the ever-present kick and snare combination. In the end, Boy 8-Bit removes the growth and menace of the original in favor of a more static, more dancefloor-ready approach that makes madness out of the drums, not out of the synths. My preferred version.
--
The Nacho Lovers new single, "Deeper", comes with a slew of remixes, but let us check out the original first. Light, indie dance drums start off things, with some otherworldly plinks, plonks, and blips filling out the empty space. A hollow voice echoes "Deep deep deep deep..." while a majestic synth outlines the melody the track will warp around. Another round of pads bounce playfully off the main melody as the track bounces along in a wonderful marriage of deep house and nu disco. Further on, a short bridge of 8-bit bleeps and light guitars highlights the lax, playful aura the whole track exudes. Merry, deep, and just straight-up happy, "Deeper" is exactly what it says and more. A late-night crowd-pleaser for sure.
The first remix is that of fellow Canadian CFCF, who waters down the entire track into a lush, soaking-wet deep disco cut. A deep, echoing kick highlights his mix, with hints of the main melody rising and falling through the mist, warped completely with reverb and an glittering oscillation that douses the track underwater before bringing it up to breathe. Once in a while, the piano breaks through the clouds and shimmers for a moment before fading off into the clouds once again. Finally, CFCF brings in a rubbery synth line that solidifies the track a bit more while letting the 8-bit line bounce and groove around. Near the end, the piano comes in full force and the track becomes a glittering, sunbathed deep disco jam, complete with a rock solid groove and those wonderfully watered-down drums. A solid remix indeed, and perhaps best suited for early-morning wind-down sets.
(DOWNLOAD IT FREE (and legally) FROM RCRDLBL!!) --
Mike Mind of Turbo Recordings come on next with a more minimal, more self-aware cut that strips away the ambience in favor a warped, wonky synth line that rides the slow, patient rhythm with a calmness and focus the other tracks lack. Stark, haunting, and a bit more acid house influenced, despite the slow tempo and lack of sound, when compared with the other cuts. A decent remix, but by far not the best.
The final mix is Azari & III's spacey disco rework that injects a little Dam-Funk into the track, making it groove and bounce with renewed vitality. When the other remixes took the deep, slow route, Azari & III opt for a quicker, funkier, spacier cut that, while equally deep, makes the track a bit dancier and more abstract. Probably my second favorite version of the original, behind CFCF's wonderful mix. Lots of effects, lots of funk, lots of groove. Love it.
Let's kick things back into rhythmic overdrive with Reboot's new "Rambon EP" on Cadenza.
The A-side, "Rambon", features a slick, churning kick with a perfectly flittering synth line that has been hung out to dry amongst the clinking of glasses and plates and light orchestral music, as if this cut was recorded in the kitchen of the Bellagio. Reboot has a penchant for marrying the robotic with the organic, and this track is definite credence to that fact. The rhythm feels natural and lucid, nothing is forced upon the listener in any way. Add in watered-down hi-hats and the tried-and-true 'gravel clap' and you have yourself another tech house gem from Reboot. But the magic does not end here. About halfway in, Reboot, a.k.a. Frank Heinrich, unleashes a snaking steel drum line that drunkenly staggers through the track, fading and rising at the drop of a hat. It's an odd tactic, but the ethereal quality it brings with it counterpoises the dense drum production beautifully, the end result turning out to be a glossy, rhythmic tech house cut that strays from the minimalistic to the ambient, organic techno that Cadenza is known for. Beautiful background music or dance music, either way you spin it.
--
On the flip, Cadenza head-honcho Luciano turns up to remix Reboot's "Uruana". Having not heard the original, I cannot speak to what Luciano alters here, so I will simply describe what the track sounds like under Luciano's guidance. If you have ever heard any of Luciano's top-quality productions (Orange Mistake, Arcenciel, Father, etc.) this track will be nothing new: a dense, minimal soundscape with lush, fragile ambience, woven into the the sparse drum production and water-droplet synths Luciano so loves to use. The melody is fractured, having no real beginning or end, simply ebbing and flowing with the other elements of the track. In any other instance this is a big mistake, but as we are talking about Luciano and Cadenza here, it is quite acceptable. This is minimal, organic techno at it's ambient best: the sound has no real start or end, and when new elements swirl into the mix, you hardly notice them. The sound grows and changes as a whole, as a single element, not as separate sounds. Wonderful mood music, head music, background music. An early morning lounge cut if ever there was one.
As many of my readers know, I love techno. Not the derivative stuff. No, the full-on, gloriously unabashed techno that comes from great labels like Ostgut Tontrager.
German producer Len Faki has released on Figure, Podium, and Ostgut Ton, among others, even being selected to mix the third entry in the prodigious Berghain series of mix CDs, even if his outing was subpar. From what I have heard of Faki, the man loves to indulge listeners in elaborate techno odysseys; lush, intricate journeys of rhythm and simple melodies that spiral and loop in any number of ways through the course of a track.
On "Rainbow Delta / Mekong Delta", the fourth release on Ostgut Ton back in 2007, Faki is at his best, serving up two equally entrancing slices of techno for your hungry ears.
RAINBOW DELTA: Here Faki's penchant for depth and ambience shine in a number of different ways. While nothing is overly special about his drum production, it is the method by which Faki creates a bed of sound that awes and entrances the listener. The kick, toms, and hi-hats are all here, but Faki's production bathes the whole affair in a gauzy, pointedly sharp ambience that sounds almost oxymoronic on first listen: why would you counterpoise the sharp, structured rhythms of techno against the warm, spacey synths that Faki seems to favor so? The more you listen, though, the two compliment each other wonderfully. The simplistic melodic element weaves itself perfectly amongst the glossy, ambient pads, and the dense rhythm section patters along to the point where you hardly notice it as the synth glides, flutters, and winds its way around the central percussive structure. While it is not the easiest thing to dance to, Faki demonstrates a deft hand for production by molding a track that interweaves tribal, techno, and ambient influences into a soothing, rhythmic escapade that you won't soon forget.
4/5
-------------------------------------------------
MEKONG DELTA: Now THIS is where Faki shines: something of equal depth and technical prowess like the last track, but something that shakes and sputters and gets you to dance. Mekong Delta immediately grabs your attention with a thick tribal kick that rattles your very core. While Faki has his feet firmly rooted in techno territory, the synth riff that pervades the entire track exercises a liberal use of echo and delay, drifting in and out of consciousness and focus, sometimes at the forefront, other times, hovering with an air of near-obscolencense in the background. The vicious toms and wickedly powerful ride are employed to perfect effect here, contrasting the slow-burning, drunkenly melancholy synth line with tight, blunt sound production that brings you back into the fold of the track before the toms and kick thunder back into rhythm. A deep thunderclap of a cut that reflects patience, technique, and a beautifully contrasting sound mechanic that makes these eight minutes some of the best Ostgut Ton has ever released. Definitely worth a listen or five.
A remix EP followed this stellar released, featuring Adam Beyer and Jerome Sydenham on remix duties. Let's CHECK 'EM OUT!
Adam Beyer first turns up to remix the beautifully crafted "Mekong Delta". Beyer, the Swedish mastermind behind Drumcode, flips "Mekong" on its head with his remix. While Faki saw the majesty and depth in "Mekong", Beyer highlights the sound effects that Faki employed for contrast. Faki saw beauty. Beyer opts for hysteria. His madness is one of mechanized monstrosity, jettisoning the depth in favor of a mechanical approach that turns "Mekong" into a clicky, teched-out monster of a cut. The ride is used ad nauseum, while Beyer replaces Faki's deep drums with a beastly Detroit kick that pulsates with the warped-straight-to-hell synth line that quivers and rides the rhythm with a ferocious tenacity. Beyer's remix moves at a hundred miles a minute, crafting a dancefloor-driven work that, while not as poignant as the original, indeed showcases Beyer's love of all things Detroit and the sickeningly wonky and maniacal side of techno that he has been known to create.
(couldn't find ANY videos...sorry! Will edit when and if I find any.)
On the flip, Jerome Sydenham of Apotek (of which he is a founder) and Drumcode turns up to futz with "Rainbow Delta". His remix plays to the opposite tune of Beyer: by establishing a rhythmic structure the original lacked, Sydenham gives the ambience top-billing, letting it caress his percussion from all sides and all angles. The percussion here is much more traditional techno: ad nauseum applied hi-hats, a not-too-deep kick, and no ride to be found anywhere! The groove here is part percussion part ambience, with Sydenham dropping it all together halfway through to let his reworked melodic element ride the hi-hats for a spell. Slowly but surely, the other elements return to the fold, before all the elements swirl together in an elated, harmonic cacophony of sound, finally letting the simple hi-hat/kick motif lead the ambient pads out the backdoor as the hissing and swirling sigh away into the ether.
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Two wonderful cuts of deep techno with two great remixes to boot! What is there NOT to love? Let the rain fall down...yeah, I'll stop right there. Enjoy folks. -NL
When one thinks of techno, a few things come to mind. Probably "dunce-a-dunce-a-dunce-a-dunce-a" And that's all well and good, but, with Ben Klock, this kind of is the case. Ben Klock, of Berghain and BPitch Control fame, as well as recent releases for Ostgut Tontrager, specializes in a techno similar to that of Marcel Dettmann: skeletal, cathartic, and visceral to no end. Gritty low-ends, ominous synths, and propulsive, chugging drums highlight most Klock tracks, especially those off his stellar debut album, One, on Ostgut Ton.
"Underneath" pins an eeriely deep horn sample underneath (ahhh?? :D ) rippling, simplistic drums, a horror-esque pad screaming and yawning over the mid and low-end. A viscous thump of a heartbeat barrels in and further drives the track, easing itself onto the accelerator, followed by shuffling, spastic brushes and what sounds like a computer disk drive hiccuping every millisecond. A minimal groove with an eerie, otherworldly quality to it, as most highlighted by the peculiar synth riff that pops up every once in a while on the cut. Classic Ben Klock.
"Check for Pulse" is more straightforward techno for Klock. Hi hats and that menacing kick start off the proceedings, with a dirty, shuttering ping-pong of a synth layering itself underneath, almost pulsating sporadically with the beat. The track whines and groans as if its buckling under the weight of its own sound, threatening to splinter and shatter into a million fragments at any one time, building tension and never letting the listener go. Just like a good Hitchcock movie, though, the tension NEVER slackens, and the groove manifests itself into a snarling, sputtering, clicking monster of a minimal track.
I of course saved the best for last. "Coney Island" starts off with a ghostly, echoing bell synth that glides and floats in suspended animation for a spell, the waves of the shore brushing lightly against it. Disembodied voices whisper and groan under it all, before the main synth riff enters, an urgent, sinister riff that disappears as quickly as it appears. The majestic organ-like bell synth ebbs and flows with the synth line, and subsequently a skeletal, wiry guitar line creeps in, and the kick drops. This is what techno should sound like. Swift, powerful flourishes of sound rise and fall, growing larger still with no end in sight, before the hi-hats and snare enter, and the rhythm full on snags you refusing to let go no matter how scared and nervous you are! Driving, unbridled, and simply hypnotic, this is not only of Ben Klock's best, but it's all one of my favorite techno cuts of all-time.
------
Klock is an expert at the maximal side of minimal; doing a lot with not much at all, focusing on dynamics over sheer volume. And it works to wondrous effect. You can check out more of "One" on YouTube, Beatport, or just buy the album from iTunes, Amazon, or Beatport. You won't be disappointed. Next up, the letter....C.
