Review: Fear-E returns to Dame-Music with his second solo EP of the year, marking the label's 49th release available on both vinyl and digital formats. Following the success of his first EP released in March, the Glasgow-based producer unleashes a sonic assault with four intense acid cuts. Showcases Fear-E's mastery in crafting pulsating rhythms and heavy acid basslines - from the infectious energy of "Acidisko" to the hypnotic allure of "Chib Merchant" - Fear-E maintains a relentless pace here. "Menace 2 Sobriety" lives up to its name with a fierce, intoxicating vibe, while "Nuclear Blueprint" rounds off the EP with a powerful blend of dynamic drums and acid-infused intensity. Mastered by the legendary Thomas P. Heckmann to boot!
Review: Following his Clydeside Tales album last year, Fear-E hooks up with John Heckle under his Head Front Panel guise to deliver this hard-hitting split release. Fear-E's "Going For Gold" sets the tone, as relentless, corrosive percussion unfolds over a throbbing groove. He proceeds to up the intensity levels on "Bass Harrier", where a harder, driving rhythm provides the basis for insistent hi-hats and a muddy bass. Heckle's contributions are more abrasive. "Not4modernsystems" is built on distorted kicks and a bassline that's so corrosive it should come with a health warning. "Faded Toy Box" isn't as intense, but its pacy metallic rhythm and ferocious percussive blasts are also sure to hit the spot every time.
Review: Outerworld drops a third release that comprises remixes of tracks from the first two volumes. Remixed by Black Girl White Girl, Ackermann's "After All This Time" is a jacking, angular affair, resounding to the kind of twitchy rhythm that Cristian Vogel pioneered. In stark contrast is Rolando's take on Elisa Bee's "Travel To Light", where the Detroit legend delivers a deep, rolling interpretation. Shifting gears and style, Noncompliant's interpretation of Moodtrax's "Network" is led by insistent claps and a slamming groove. However, the devil is in the detail here and the rework really stands out thanks to a lurching bass and wild analogue riffs. Rounding off this fine EP is the Disruptive Pattern Material take on "Calis N New Yorkers", which resounds to a menacing low end.
Review: Some sounds never grow old. As Fear-E demonstrates on Lysergic Patterns, the 303 is one of those eternal tropes. Kicking off the release with a peak-time track, "Marching Pooder" integrates squelching acid lines with stomping kicks and cheese wire percussion. Fear-E follows this intro with an equally impactful take on the 303, with "Breakfast Of Champions" fusing a relentless line with eerie, soaring synths. "Hornet's Nest" sees Fear-E push into a classic hard techno direction; with tough kicks and firing percussion as its basis, acid tones are interwoven with churning chords. "Hornet's Nest" marks another change in direction, with Fear-E deploying squelchy tones over a jacking Chicago track.
Review: For the second outing on their eponymous label, Co-Accused draw on a cast of like-minds to deliver a peak-time split release. The Scottish duo's own storming "PA2 Crew" sets the tone for the EP, with hardcore stabs, vocal snatches and relentless drums all combined to make for a dynamic track. Sosak's "Do One" is in a similar vein, with percussive volleys supporting a high-tempo, pulsating groove, while Fear-E's "Rhubarb & Custard" is slightly more measured; featuring driving hi hats and a series of accompanying analogue tones, these elements are supported by industrial kick drums. The release concludes on a different note, with Acidulant dropping the acid-soaked, moody electro of "Drankx".
Review: Don't Be Afraid delivers a killer split release that features some of techno's most innovative producers. First up is Sunil Sharpe with "Goddhead"; like his DJing, Sharpe's contribution here is complex but impactful, with skeletal broken beats and a bleary bass supporting dramatic stabs and muffled vocal samples. Minos & Moving Still push in a different direction on "One Word Techno Special": revolving around a dubbed-out rhythm, the track resounds to rich chords and niggling percussion. Tvo's "Wer" is more abrasive, with noisy soundscapes combined with a minimal groove, while Fear-E's contribution also has a visceral undercurrent, with "Moving Target" centred on a lean, acid-soaked rhythm.
Review: Portuguese artist Violet and her Naive label presents this 17-track No Justice No Peace compilation in support of Black Live Matter while expression recognition of "the immeasurable debt we owe to the consistently brilliant black artists, black music, black arts and traditions." With 100% of proceeds from this compilation donated to anti-racist funds, No Justice No Peace presents a vast array of genres and styles that embrace house, techno, and breakbeats to more leftfield and ambient productions from Odete, Millia Rage & Purelink, and Luar Domatrix. Further highlights include Overland's "Nova Scotia", Russell E. L. Butler's "The Streets Aren't Empty, Their Hearts Full Of Heat" and Violet's own "Never L8". Full support.
Review: Glasgow-based label Avoidant deserves kudos for bringing together some of the most respected names in electro for this compilation. Annie Hall and Versalife represent deeper ends of the spectrum, with Hall's bubbling "Meido Estetico" in particular standing out. Carl Finlow drops a lean, industrial funk workout in the form of "Syncopated Automated", while on the compilation's title track, The Advent teams up with Zein Ferreira on a bleak trip through discordant synths and popping rhythms. Sharing space on the compilation are label regulars like CYRK, who drop the epic melodies and gurgling bass of "Block" and Kronos Device, a project from Bass Junkie / Dexorcist, which sees concrete weight bass drums connected to wild electronic stabs on "Crisis Point".
Review: Fear-E aka Scott McKay teams up with The Wasp to follow last year's "Posh End Sponk" release on Dixon Avenue Basement Jams. "The Shining" is a tough stomper that resounds to eerie organ riffs and busy vocal samples, while on "Pax", the collaborators head in a different, darker direction, with eerie stabs and ghetto shout outs underpinned by a steely, shuffling rhythm. "Chucky B" is more abrasive and visceral as they throw down a banging groove that underpins a busy call and shout sample, while "Kokamen" sees them explore the kind of bugged out techno you would expect Green Velvet to deliver.
Review: Fear-E's fourth outing for Dixon Avenue Basement Jams sees him deliver his biggest track so far. Inspired in equal measure by jacking Chicago house and the low-end menace of Detroit artists like Suburban Knight, the vocal-led "Jump On The House Train" is a superb, slightly menacing slice of house music. "A New Day" and "Skuddy Deflektor" follow in a similar vein, albeit without vocals, with Fear-E laying down dark sub-bass tones and rolling kettle drums to devastating effect. Closing track "Green Eyed Monster" sees him edge closer to techno, with a frazzled bass, acrid acid and waves of abrasive percussion making for a powerful peak time track.
Review: This is the second full Fear-E release on Dixon Avenue Basement Jams and brilliantly recalls the glory days of Detroit techno and Chicago house. "Back to Basics" revolves around a jacking rhythm and a predatory bass that support a sweaty vocal. It's a classy basement track. On "What Ya Gonna", the tempo moves up a few notches as steely percussion and minimal beats accompany a lo-fi bleep sequence and eerie rave stabs, while "Band of Rubber" is a noisy, muddy groove. None of them can compare to "Sunrize in Avalon" however, which sees Fear-E appropriate the kind of liquid acid-soaked deep techno that Nu Era used to specialise in.
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