Review: Berlin imprint Fachwerk has continually set high standards in techno for nigh on twelve years now. Its output particularly the early 2010's heralded a new era in German techno alongside established local imprints such as Klockworks, Vidab and MDR. It's steely, refined and austere aesthetic is on fine display on the fourth edition of the label's new digital reissue, containing material from the early vinyl releases FW031 - FW038, including unreleased special edits. All the usual suspects appear: label staple Roman Lindau delivers a barrelling rework of UK producer Roberto's "Rings Of Smoke" in proper heads down fashion, the ever impressive Sascha Rydell delivers more reductionist club music executed boldly on "Haptic", label chief Mike Dehnert finely shows off exactly what high-end dub-techno is on "Placide" while label newcomer Jens Tozzberg does ultra deep on the cavernous and glacial hypnotism of "Baritum".
Review: This compilation spans a range of sounds, but is testament to the fact that despite its diversity, Affin has always been a byword for quality underground dance music. From the stepping, understated "Minus One" by Truncate to the woodwind-led house of "Stalking You" by James Hunter and the gorgeous, jazzy, filtered groove of Jamal Moulay's "Le Push", 100 does a lot to showcase the label's penchant for deep dance music. Joachim Spieth's "Sensual" boasts hypnotic Basic Channel-style chords, but the beats are tougher and denser. Reggy Van Oers's "Centipede" veers further down this chord-driven, dubby techno path and Affin also celebrates the harder end of techno with the utilitarian, Berghain-influenced linear sound of Chemie & Ian Kran's "Nucleated Thought".
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