Review:
Martin Bonds is one of Detroit techno's lesser known but no less influential figures. As Reel By Real he released the 1990 classic Surkit, and now, with Surkit Chamber - The Melding he has released his first new material under the moniker in almost 20 years, a pitch perfect updating of the classic sound of Detroit techno. Abdul Haqq's Neuromancer-esque cover art perfectly encapsulates the meeting between man and machine which seems to permeate the album; tracks like "Glass" and "Switchback" utilise mechanical rhythms and metallic textures to great effect, whilst "Fate" combines the album's retro-futuristic sheen with jazzy keys and Bonds' own vocals, and as an album it strikes the perfect balance between the more avant-garde and dancefloor friendly Detroit production, especially on tracks like "Stow Away" which combines a particularly Drexciyan bassline with a more manageable tempo.