Review: On his latest release, Alan Fitzpatrick does a lot to deconstruct the myth that he is all about linear, big room techno. The title track is a dramatic, evolving affair, with the UK producer taking influence from acid acts like Hardfloor as a cacophony of 303s squiggle and screech their way over a meaty bass and razor-sharp thunder claps. Just when you thought that the arrangement couldn't get any more intense, a siren shrieks across the spectrum - in reverse. While "Magnetic Dog" is a euphoric affair, the release is also tinged with sadness as it features a remix from the late Trevino. The respected producer opts for a more restrained approach, laying down churning chords and a ghostly strings.
Review: Alan Fitzpatrick is one of the UK's most talented techno producers, and the latest release on his own label shows just how adept he is. "Dancing Astronaut" sees him bring together firing, steely percussion, doubled up claps and a rumbling bass as a back drop for building, searing chord sequences. It's a menacing but atmospheric arrangement that breaks down into an evocative vocal sample before reaching a snare-led crescendo. On "Together Until the End", the approach is less direct, with Fitzpatrick delivering a broken beat-led rhythm and an evocative vocal sample. However, soon enough, he's back on the dance floor with the pounding kicks and lead-weight percussion and wild rave stabs of "Joy Rider"
Review: Alan Fitzpatrick has said that the title of his latest release 'represents a significant change in my life and reminds me to focus on new beginnings', but regardless of this background, his new EP is a no-nonsense floor filler. "11:11" is built on lead-weight percussion and a searing bass, as muffled vocals insinuate their way through the arrangement. In a similar vein, "Stand Up" resounds to a robust rhythm track before a euphoric bass kicks in. Although "Ego" is also powered by firing percussion, it moves into a dreamy, filtered build. Maybe Fitzpatrick is in the middle of a spiritual awakening, but he hasn't lost touch with the dance floor.
You Got Me (Slam Track Series remix) - (7:21) 129 BPM
Review: No one does the big room sound like Alan Fitzpatrick and the UK producer showcases his expertise once again on You Got Me, the latest missive on his We Are The Brave label. The title track centres on his trademark lead-weight kicks, firing percussion and powerful thunder claps, but also resounds to a screeching diva vocal sample and rather unexpectedly boasts a rave riff-led break down. Soma duo Slam's take doesn't pull any punches either; focused on a linear, hammering rhythm and concrete kicks, it sees the veteran Scottish producers add a more malevolent riff, redolent of the Hoover excesses of Belgian techno, amid a seething acid line.
Review: Alan Fitzpatrick returns to Drumcode, marking his first appearance since late 2016 when he remixed Moby's hit "Porcelain".The release opens with "Brian's Proper Dun One", a track which caused a storm on his Twitter profile when he first started playing it last year. Loaded with sharp and pounding drums, this is a no holds barred, certified main room anthem! "Wait A Second" has been getting a lot of play on Drumcode Radio of late. This rave inspired track takes a raw, stripped back approach and delivers a killer blow. Alan sampled the vocals of MC r1bbz from an LTJ Bukem tape pack from the early 90s and the record tips its cap to early jungle raves around the M25. The release closes with "Trance, Init?" a homage to Fitzpatrick's days as a raver before he became a DJ. The breakdown is sure to be a hands in the air moment at festivals all over the globe this summer.
Review: Alan Fitzpatrick always makes sure that techno music doesn't get too serious or precious. The UK producer's latest release is a good example of his ability to draw a sonic smiley face over purist identities. Drawing on hardcore hoover riffs, out there vocals - from the drugged up to diva wailing - and atmospheric piano keys, the title track harks back to a more innocent time for electronic music. Of course it helps that Fitzpatrick frames these elements amid a driving, funk-heavy backing track. On "Rhino", Fitzpatrick uses a similar backing track, but this time it's all about euphoria inducing trance builds married to metallic snare rolls. The purists may hate it, but there's no doubting that for everyone else, Fitzpatrick's irreverence is hugely infectious.
Friday Night Dancing (Skream remix) - (7:22) 129 BPM
Review: Anyone who had Alan Fitzpatrick categorised as merely a big room minimal techno artist should think again. Sure, the UK producer has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Adam Beyer's Drumcode, but he has also released recently on Mosaic, the home of all things deep and dubby. As Dancing shows, Fitzpatrick also brings a depth of knowledge and musical history to his productions. Over a rolling, low slung groove, he adds in the kind of dubbed out vocal sample that used to prevail on San Fran house records at the turn of the millennium. Combined with a woozy rave riff, this makes for an intoxicating underground groove. The label has tasked Skream with the remix; upping the tempo, he delivers a rolling, bleep-heavy rhythm that breaks down into Fitzpatrick's frazzled rave stab before proceeding on its juggernaut course.
Review: Alan Fitzpatrick has released on some of the world's greatest techno labels, including Figure, Unknown To The Unknown and Drumcode - and thanks to this EP his catalogue also boasts anb appearance on Rekids. Surprisingly for Fitzpatrick, the title track is a deeper affair, as the ghost of Detroit techno past haunts his steely drums with evocative synth melodies. In contrast, on "The Forgotten", he opts for a pared back approach, with insistent electronic riffs bubbling up over a lean, wiry rhythm. The label has commissioned Luke Slater to rework "Step Away". Working under his Planetary Assault Systems guise, he strips away the dreamy synths to make way for a pile-driving techno banger that brings the release to a grinding climax.
Review: Fresh from delivering a booming EP of warehouse-ready techno on Rekids, Alan Fitzpatrick pops up on Unknown To The Unknown with another quartet of sleazy slammers and speaker-bothering stompers. Fitzpatrick makes his intentions clear via the fast-paced drums, relentless ride cymbals, growling electronics and fizzing stabs of "The Hole", before doffing a cap to the nastiest Belgian techno of the early '90s on rave-melting banger "Raid". Acid fiends should check the razor sharp TB-303 lines, ricocheting drum machine handclaps and booming beats of "KD6-3", while "Awkward Desire" is a deeper and groovier affair built around swinging drums, dreamy chords and lilting lead lines.
Review: Techno might be hunkered down in a locked tresor (or vault) for the time being but it's been a hugely busy year so far for Drumcode spearhead Alan Fitpatrick. Having already dropped records on REKIDS and Hot Creations with Jamie Jones in 2020, the first release for Fitpatrick's We Are The Brave label comes from the man himself. Aimed directly for the warehouse play he's most used to, I Still Remember combines European and Detroit techno signatures with touches of rave, EDM, trance and dub. With suggestive vocals to boot in the all inspired "I Still Remember", Fitpatrick's "Buttered Otter" on the flip goes a shade harder with staccato synths, vocal samples and ringing crash cymbals. Deeper still is "Emergency" - a classic trance and dub techno number - with SAMA turning in a melodic bassline remix in his version. For extra weight still there's a rock solid Mark Broom warehouse mix for the arsenal, with Brennen Grey's apocalyptic take on "I Still Remember" not something to forget.
Review: Don't worry if you weren't able to get to hear veteran DJ and Bedrock co-founder John Digweed's recent set at Treehouse in Miami's South Beach, because its all here for you to enjoy. There are a whopping 41 tracks included, spread over three mixes and also provided in their individual form including such gems as Agoria's moody synth-drenched reworking of Damian Lazarus' "Vermillion", the fuzzy Fairlight fancy of Solaris Heights's "Nightfall" and Digitaria's Art Of Noise-style electro jam "Little Boy".
Review: One of the most unexpected transformations of the past year has been big-room techno and Drumcode favourite Alan Fitzpatrick's shift towards more subtle sounds. First came an impressive EP for Aubrey's Mosaic and now Tribe. The title track sees Fitzpatrick drop the kind of expansive, shimmering keys that one would expect to hear on an Innervisions record, but the UK producer still maintains a pumping groove. Trus'Me has been commissioned to do a remix and although it sounds strange, his take is tougher and more rolling, powered by punchy drums. The Chip Jacks version, with its stepping rhythm, completes this unexpected release.
Review: Progressive bomb of the week!! When you scan through the Bedrock back catalogue, you will struggle to find even one release that wasn't of the highest quality. Doing what they do better than any other label in their field for years, it continues with leading UK producer/DJ Alan Fitzpatrick. On 'Moon Place' he delivers another flawless cut that has been playlisted by every prog DJ worth their salt over the past couple of months and is now yours to drop peaktime and see the whole floor erupt.. Check it out and turn it up!!
Review: For a producer who has released on a label like Drumcode and who is synonymous with big-room, white noise-saturated techno, Falling Down comes as a surprise. It shows a far deeper side to the amiable Fitzpatrick's canon, and it also suggests that he's just as adept as making melodic dance floor grooves. The title track starts off with stuttering, rattling percussion before trailing off into an evocative, melodic build-up. "Vanishing" is even more impressive; over sweet strings and chords, Fitzpatrick drops the kind of dreamy vocal snatch that you might expect to hear in one of Legowelt's more mellow tracks. Auden's remix of the same track is slower and heavier, but doesn't sacrifice Fitzpatrick's melodies.
