Review: Justin Jay has released music on a number of well-known labels, including Dirtybird, and now he brings his diverse, freeform sound to Lobster Theremin offshoot 10 Pills Mate. As its name implies, "My First Trance" is an evocative, tranced out track whose rolling snares and upbeat bass recall the peak of 90s euphoria. In contrast, the title track is a banging affair, led by pounding kicks and a stuttering vocal sample, while on "Believe" an eerie organ riff is fused with a jacking techno rhythm. Keeping the listener guessing until the end, "5G" is an insistent affair, with Jay deploying gritty ghetto tech style kicks and building analogue riffs to devastating effect.
Review: Following on from last year's Dear Diary release on Lobster Theremin, Nicolas Schmidt aka Narciss returns to the 10 Pills Mate sub-label for more old school influenced techno. "Feather Boa Constrictor" resounds to a repetitive electronic hook and a lean, driving rhythm, while on "Lovechild (Outrun Mix)", Schmidt goes down a deeper route, with insistent chord stabs and soulful vocal samples looped over a looped groove. "Tokyo" sees another change in tact, with Schmidt going deeper; based on tight metallic percussion and a rolling rhythm, he weaves in soulful vocals and atmospheric synths, making for a soulful combination. It stands in stark contrast to "Dreamcast (Repro's EP Remix)", where Narciss takes up the trance mantle, making for a fast paced, pulsating finale to the release.
Review: Hot on the heels of releases for Chequered Wax and Groove Estate, Eyerate continues to explore old school techno and trance influences with Twenty Angels. "Undone" is an epic affair, with a series of break downs and raw break beats providing the backdrop for atmospheric, all-encompassing melodies. "IDK You" sees the UK producer adopt a different approach, as tough kicks and rasping percussion support repetitive vocal snippets and hypnotic melodies. The title track continues in this direction, with a growing bass and sharp hi-hats fused with ominous, swirling textures, while "Youth Eternal" is a high-paced, Thomas Heckmann-style affair, peppered with gurgling acid lines that paint a vivid sonic picture.
Review: LMajor and Corporeal Face aka Local Group follow separate and collective releases on Furthur Electronix and Human Concrete Block with this EP for Lobster Theremin offshoot 10 Pills Mate. Steeped in the sounds of 90s hardcore, Big Beats... brings the listener through an array of sounds and moods. There's the raw break beat and chipmunk vocals of "Watch This Beat", while the release veers into a melange of hip-house vocals and sample-heavy elector on "Work That Thang". Most impressive however is "Rhythmic Trip", where the pair combine mysterious synths with evocative vocals over rolling breaks. Lastly Angel D'lite's remix of "Trip" pushes it towards the intersection of pop and happy hardcore.
Review: Rove Ranger follows up his recent EP for Vision Ekstase with this fine release. A more accurate title might have been "Techno Memories", with this fast-rising new producer drawing on classic styles within the canon for a memorable EP. First up is the high-paced rhythm and cold electronic tones of "If You Say So", where he comes close to emulating Sleeparchive and the Sahko catalogue. By contrast, the title track is an emotive Detroit affair, shrouded in lush synths and robust kicks. "Introspective" is anything but, with Rove Ranger dropping a densely tangled layer of sound effects over a kicking backdrop, while he maintains the eclectic touch right till the end as "You Wanted Both So I Gave You Both" mines a dreamy, emotive sound, replete with vocal samples.
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