Samuli Kemppi At Juno Download

Review: There must be something in the water up in northern Europe: following in the proud tradition started by seminal 90s minimal label Sahko and the weird soundscapes of Biosphere is Finnish techno producer Samuli Kemppi. With releases in the past few years on Prologue, Komisch, Luke Slater's Mote Evolver and the mighty Ostgut - which commissioned him to appear on Marcel Dettmann's mix CD - Samuli's star is in the ascent thanks to his distinctive brand of spooky, spaced out techno. Certainly, this release on the oddly named M-Rec Ltd Cue label will win him more praise, thanks to his ability to tease new shapes out of previous narratives. Both "Bang" and "Crunch" reverberate to the sound of thundering claps and slamming, stripped back rhythms. Both are testament to Samuli's skills as a techno producer, but neither prepare the listener for the second half of the release. "Bounce" features more musical pads, but the track's most distinguishing feature is its panning, insistent hook that sounds like an update of Dave Angel's 1992 classic, "Bounce Back". Changing tact completely, Kemppi finishes with "Expand", a gloriously evocative synth piece that sounds like he's following the northern lights' path through the cosmos.

Review: Luke Slater's impressive Mote ? Evolver label continues it rich vein of form with veteran Finnish producer Samuli Kemppi?s "Dark Matter EP." An intensely hypnotic EP, he uses a driving beat and echoed FX to create a futuristic landscape for this pulsating, minimal-edged techno beast. The talented producer continues to push things in the right direction with this one.

Review: Having become something of a regular fixture in the Mote Evolver camp, Shifted is back once again to head up Side A of the second Parallel Series 12". As you might expect, the techno comes bleak and throbbing from the Shifty one, although avoiding excessive heaviness over immersive progression and dubby FX. On the flip Samuli Kemppi plies his quirkier trade, using offbeat synth mess to counteract the steady rhythm of the bottom end on "Trans Neptunian". "Detached Object" meanwhile fires off streams of interlocking sounds which spiral around the relentless kick for a classy exercise in techno restraint. Highly recommended.