Review: There's been a fair bit of hype surrounding this second album from Stuart Li under his now familiar Basic Soul Unit guise, and it's not hard to see why. Dropping on Dekmantel some three years on from his Still Music released debut album Motional Response, Under The Same Sky revels in its' instinctively atmospheric and floor-friendly blend of classic Detroit, Chicago and - more surprisingly - British techno influences. As usual, the chords are deep and spacey, the melodies bold and shimmering, and the beats rough and ready. The results are splendid from start to finish, with the early LFO-influenced smasher "Fate In Hand", thunderous "Temptress" and sci-fi brilliance of "We All Want To Believe" amongst the numerous highlights.
Review: Jason Li always knows how to take acidic house and techno to next level of hyper-resolution, injecting more colour, sparkle and punch into his drums and synths than many other producers could even dream of. So it is on Distant Lines, his latest offering which surfaces on Spanish label Fanzine. The title track is prime BSU material, as cascading 303 lines meet with twinkling arrays of synth over yearning bass, while the drums splatter out a merry madness of vintage jack. "Thaw" is a more measured affair, reining the beats back and letting a more reflective melodic section take hold. "Low Simmer" meanwhile manages to strike a neat balance between the two, ramping up the rhythmic energy whilst keeping the nagging synth lines in check.
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