Review: Following up great releases by Ben Pest, Signol and Transparent Sound, Brighton's Orson Records welcome the return of Finnish producer Tatu Mets?t?hti aka Mesak to the label for his third release titled Hardsmalta. This time he teams up with Daniel Savio for four tracks of tough yet melodic, Drexciyan sounding electro cuts. Get down to some serious computer funk on opener "Tungt Vatten", get some bass in your face from the dystopian beats of the title track and there's more sci-fi adventures which await on "Tankedimma" and "Surt Regn".
Review: Fresh from mixing the latest instalment of Fabric's mix series, Panorama Bar resident Steffi launches a new sub-label, Dolly Deluxe. Many of the tracks that feature on Fabric 94 also appear across the first four EPs on this offshoot. The fourth Dollydeluxe is (more or less) a family affair; Privacy integrates wiry electro funk with ghetto style vocals on "Broke", while "Off The Beat" is the result of a collaboration from Dexter and Virginia, two of Steffi's closest peers. Featuring Virginia's seductive chants and Klakson co-founder Dexter's out there, psychedelic electro shapes, it's one of the most unusual cuts over the four Dollydeluxe records. Affix Naim put out his debut record on Dolly last year and returns here with "Saturniidae", which mixes splurging bass with deep, atmospheric synth lines. Closing out the fourth volume is Finnish producer Mesas, with the mechanical whirrs and ticks of "Elekieli" underpinning crystalline melodies.
Review: Fresh from mixing the latest instalment of Fabric's mix series, Panorama Bar resident Steffi launches a new sub-label, Dolly Deluxe. Many of the tracks that feature on Fabric 94 also appear across the first four EPs on this offshoot. On the third Dollydeluxe release, the mood darkens temporarily. This is thanks to newcomer UAS dropping a lithe, acidic electro stepper in the shape of "World Gets Crazy". Nothus then revisits the evocative, atmospheric mood that shaped the preceding releases. Working as Late Night Approach, "Poison Valley" resounds to rolling 808s, widescreen synths and spacey bleeps. It makes for futuristic electro with a capital 'F'. Dutch veteran Duplex mixes steely funk with dreamy melodies on his contribution, "Voidfiller", while Mesak, who released before on Steffi's other label, Klakson, brings the third instalment to a close with the jittery "Commonaukko".
Review: From his association with the Scandinavian Skweee scene, Mesak has gone on to flourish as an artist with his own strong sense of identity. The colourful bleeps and blips of his early days still feed strongly into his jagged constructions, but they're offset but deeper tones and textures and an overall ramp up in the production department. By this point, turning out flamboyant and gently scuffed electronics for the mighty Cleaning Tapes, his is the sound of a producer at the top of his game. There's a depth and diversity to the production, from the edgy clank of "Couscous Ripoff" to the charmingly scatterbrained warmth of "False Minod Demo", that proves Mesak to be an artist worth fully delving into.
Review: Dutch Techno imprint Klakson makes a very welcome return after a two year hiatus with some dynamic jack from Mesak. The Finnish producer has already released one album this year, and now drops this three track taster ahead of his upcoming Dada Wheel LP for Dexter and Steffi's iconic label. Up first is "Stitch Seq", a charming excursion into pumping house with a real abrasive feel to the groove. Mesak cuts a Scando electro funk strut on "Nahat" with neat synth stabs cutting through the rusted iron gate melodies. Pulses will race at the presence of a Dettmann remix of "Stitch Seq" and Marcel does not disappoint with growling sub bass the backdrop to ten minutes of dramatic progression - early morning vibes from the Berghain resident on this one...
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