Marcel Fengler At Juno Download

Review: Reactions to the news that Marcel Fengler was going to mix Berghain 05 focused on the fact that he is the club's most overlooked resident. This is to do Fengler a disservice and to understand the club in the narrowest context possible. If anything, the trajectory Fengler follows here defines the broad brush strokes played out in the Berlin club. There's the eerie intro which moves from Dettmann's vocal version of Emika's "Count Backwards" into Peter Van Hoesen's spacey, bleeping "Axis Mundi". Classic sounds always form an integral part of Fengler's approach and this is evident on Octogen's widescreen yet menacing electro reshape of Terrence Dixon, the wiry 90s minimalism of Ratio and in the alternate version of Secret Cinema's chord-heavy early 90s classic "Timeless Altitude". In between these sounds, Fengler proves his technical prowess, moving effortlessly from the drones and broken beats of Dr Walker's take on Byteone and the Regis version of Tommy Four Seven's "G" into straighter, albeit bass-heavy techno and house from Duplex - remixing Gerd- and LB Dub Corp, who delivers a new, multi-layered take on Fengler's own "Thwack". Put simply, Fengler has that rare talent that most DJs lack - he can put together seemingly disparate tracks without losing the flow. The club he resides at provides Fengler with a blank canvas and this mix is his masterpiece.

Review: There are two defining aspects to Marcel Fengler; firstly he retains a more humble profile to his more celebrated fellow Berghain residents Klock and Dettmann, and secondly original material from Fengler may be an infrequent proposition, but it's almost always worthy of your attention. This latter aspect is certainly true of the three track Frantic EP, a worthy return to Ostgut Ton, following last year's Berghain O5 mix and a clutch of notable EPs. Commencing with the title track, Fengler draws on a canny complement of insistent loops and sumptuous synth arrangements, while the rugged drum patterns make "Frantic" seem all too appropriate a title. Do check the alien techno funk of "6 In A Row", a track which masterfully swings between the thick groove and fast fingered smears of neon synths, while the glistening beauty of "Mosaique" offers some nice contrast to the previous onslaught.

Review: Luke Slater brings Berghain resident and Ostgut Ton label mate Marcel Fengler to his own Mote Evolver imprint to administer some of the heavy, driving techno that has brought the German techno success. "Thwack" sees a myriad of raw beats and mechanical sounds exploring Fengler's often abrasive style. Ploughing unstoppably forward, this is techno at its most purposeful. "Sculptures" is intensely hypnotic, twisting a wonky yet funky groove from heavy industrial atmospherics. Mote Evolver is on a roll at the moment - long may it continue.