Review:
Whatever anyone was expecting from Shed's 50Weapons debut, it seems fairly likely that nobody thought it was going to be quite like this. While some may have expected it to be similar to the floor ready sounds of his Equalized or Wax releases, he's created something completely unique; rather than boom, the rhythm of "The Praetorian" pulsates, taking a metronomic, sand-dry snare and combining it with an undulating pad melody with a distinctly dreamy quality. "RQ-170" meanwhile ticks along with the head-nodding rhythm of dubstep, utilising bass frequencies almost below the range of hearing, while a snarling rasp burrows through the track's centre. If you were ever in any doubt that Shed was one of techno's best producers, these mind-bending productions provide no greater proof that the man has ideas far beyond what most of his peers think the genre should be.