Stanislav Tolkachev At Juno Download

Review: Ukrainian party and podcast conglomerate Techno.UA release their debut set, entitled Detroit Berlin Kiev: Techno Connection, a various artists EP consisting of local acts Etapp Kyle, Stanislav Tolkachev, Exploit and Italian Sascha DPL. Inspired by early Detroit and contemporary Berlin sounds, the Ukrainian unit represent an injection of fresh blood into the Eastern Bloc scene. Sascha DPL's moody blue synth line in "Last Night In Ukraine" warbles through sprinklings of white noise while looped crackle and pops reflect some lighter Fachwerk characteristics, while Etapp Kyle's delicate and heavyhearted "Limitless" exercises melodic Berlin blips over mournful pads as dreamlike sensibilities prevail. Stanislav Tolkachev references his knowledge of Detroit minimalism in "Negative Space" by combining the busyness of Drexciya with the pounding rhythms of Robert Hood. Finally, Exploit manifests James Brown's preachings of 'I'm black and I'm proud, say it loud' into a into a techy take on deep house with his track "Painkiller".

Review: He may not enjoy the same profile as some of the names putting out purist-inspired techno, but Stanislav Tolkachev is certainly adept at delivering killer electronic jams. On "Proof", he tempers his approach somewhat and the dense off-beat drums end up veering into an atmospheric coda, while "Often Enough" is an off beat minimal workout. But there are no such concessions on "Wasp", where an insistent tonal blip - hence the name - is placed amid jack hammering rhythms or on the brilliantly named "Stop Killing Techno", a visceral, firing groove that recalls Robert Hood during his most intense periods.