Marcel Dettmann At Juno Download

Review: Modeselektor's 50 Weapons label reaches its preordained halfway point with this early 90s referencing release from Dettmann. In particular, "Linux" sounds like an amalgamation of early Synewave and Robert Hood's 90s work, its squeaky, linear groove supported by doubled-up claps and subtle percussive slivers, but with a lower pace and inadvertent jerkiness which makes "Linux" more accessible to a wider range of DJs. It's a similar story on "Ellipse"; while the insistent rave horn, coupled with a succession of doubled up claps, makes it sound more insistent, it avoids the bare-knuckle extremism of the 90s minimalism that it takes inspiration from.

Review: Marcel Dettmann returns with yet another EP full of dusty atmospherics and brooding minimalism. The dark synth line of "Range" wallows around sketchy percussion and filtered pulsations while the density of "Islo" ups the energy in a hectic mess of Dadub-esque drum patterns. Machine gun snares strafe the Berghain-y kicks of "Push" as otherworldly vocals breath pitched down variations of the track's title. "Allies" is Dettmann's take on party techno, but tailored entirely for flinty concretions and sturdy pylons - an absolute Berghain classic.

Review: Dettmann's latest EP may refer to lingustics in its title, but there is no danger that what the Berghain resident wants to achieve will get lost in translation. With the exception of the spacey soundtrack and "Apollo" samples on "Barrier", this release is all about dance floor functionality and is as stark as the imposing architecture in the club he built his reputation on. That said, "Planning" owes a great debt to Robert Hood's visceral minimalism, as Dettmann sprays shards of percussion over jarring beats. The same incessant percussive approach is audible on "Translation One", but in this instance, it's the basis for a stab-heavy, filtered rhythm. Finally, Dettmann plays tribute to a Berlin artist on "Translation Two", with its spaced out but cold bleeps reminiscent of vintage Sleeparchive.