Review: Berlin has by turns been a minimal, dubstep and purist haven over the past decade, but the latest release from Ellen Alien hints at something dingier. Taking inspiration from the low-slung rhythms and tape hiss of L.I.E.S, the Bpitch boss contsructs a grungy, acid-caked groove on her own edit of "Free Nation". It's a similar tale on "Delta Zoo", where violent bass licks lurch under grainy riffs and crackling percussion. If Alien's edits represent Berlin's seedy side, then Thomas Muller's versions of both tracks imagines a modernist veision of the German capital. Booming drums and dramatic claps fuel this approach, but the murmuring vocals suggest something untoward still simmers beneath the surface.
Review: Vitamine sees Thomas Muller in more restrained mode than usual. "New Kid in Town" even suggests that he has, ahem, grown up. Centred on loose, rolling drums, it moves into sensuous disco strings and embraces sassy horns. "M-1001001" is more murky and sounds like Muller got lost on his way to the discotheque. Featuring dense drums and insistent, effective filters, Muller uses a droning horn as a guide through the soupy arrangement. The vowel-free "BPCTRL" is more drummy again - albeit dubbed out in places - but the most obvious articulation of Muller's coming of age as a producer is the glorious melodic rush of "City Of Lost Souls".
Review: Thomas Muller delivers a mixture of tracks for the dance floor and the sofa on his latest outing for Ellen Allien's Bpitch. The title track is a subtle groove, its off beats and eerie melodies combining to make a nuanced take on techno. "Paris Asylum" is more tracky, and coupled with a hypnotic siren riff, should have the requisite effect on the floor. At that point, Muller goes off on a tangent. "Sub Summer" is based on loose break beats and jarring riffs and features a sample of Jim Morrison singing "Indian Summer". "Rude Way for Sweet Heart" follows the offbeat approach and its throbbing down beats and swirling jazzy chord make it the perfect post-party soundtrack.
Review: If two years ago you'd said to even the most open-minded BPitch Control fan that the diverse label would be putting out soulful torch songs in 2011, they would have questioned your sanity. However, that's exactly what's happened. On Werkschau, the latest compilation from Ellen Allien's Berlin imprint, the centrepiece is the smoky, seductive soul of Jahcoozi's "Day In, Day Out". It's not an aberration: the other highlights here are characterised by a focus on deeply personal contributions. Be it the muffled vocals on Chaim's dub techno, Sascha Funke's unforgettably melodic techno poem, "Hiddensee" or Kiki & Lenz and Zander VT's explorations of disco-fuelled, vocal-led house on "Morning Maniacs" and "Gotta Look Up To Get Down" respectively, every shared experience is worth its weight in gold.
Review: Thomas Muller is testament to Bpitch's ability to sign new talent, and this latest release shows just how perceptive Ellen Allien was to spot him. There's not much to "Sunday Morning", bar skippy tribal drums and a sexy vocal snippet, but it's hypnotically effective, while "Waft" achieves the same effect, as A vocal intoning 'oh yeah' is integrated into a killer rolling groove. Muller is also well able to make darker noises, with "Red Noir" unfolding to the sound of a plunging bassline and "Meek" climaxing amid building riffs and surging bass elements. Bpitch's new breed does it in style once again.
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