Review:
Shawn Rudiman's hardware-only live shows are the best-kept secret in techno, and Hardware Survival Techniques captures the energy and rawness of one of his performances. "Dark House" centres on an insistent acid riff and dank drums, while "Sky Above Our Heads" is sparser and more stripped back, the rhythm accompanied by rolling snares. "Time Machine" is based on a similar, 303-fuelled approach, with pitched-down vocals adding to the sense of menace. However, these words merely sketch out Rudiman's arrangements and the true brilliance of his analogue approach, which ensures the drums have an unmistakably raw sound and the filters lack a digital polish, are best experienced at full volume, preferably in a nightclub.