Review:
For a producer who earns a living patrolling the moody sonic terrain between dubstep and techno, the third album from Dutchman Dave Huismans under the 2562 alias is his most raucous yet. A notable progression has been made from the dense atmospherics and subterranean bass that characterised 2008's Aerials and the dark textures of 2009's Unbalance, both of which saw release on Bristolian imprint Tectonic. Fever - released via Huismans' own When In Doubt label - has a more insouciant slant, albeit buried beneath several layers of robust drum programming and hanging synths. The stuttering rhythms and disorientating panning of "Winamp Melodrama" opens Fever, followed by the whirring effects and muffled vocal loops of "Cheaters". The chaotic drum programming on "Juxtaposed" brings to work the mind of fellow genre ignorer FaltyDL, before "Intermission" marks the album's halfway point and paves the way for Huismans' most outlandish moment, namely the unrelenting party techno stomp of "This Is Hardcore". God only knows which disco records he sampled for this one - but it's enamoured with bucket loads of groove and swing. Essential listening from start to finish.