Review: Originally released back in 2011, In Trust shows Redshape at the very height of his creative prowess. The title track features staccato drums in the background as the red-masked producer lays down beguiling, hypnotic melodies and beautiful synth lines that trail off into the ether. Representing the other side of the mysterious artist's psyche is "Laser!" Led by a pulsing, growling bass that wraps itself around an eerie synth line, it's on a par with other Redshape floor-killers such as Shaped World and Blood Into Dust. This release serves as a reminder that when it comes to Detroit-influenced techno, few producers can compare to Redshape.
Review: After a number of releases on Nonplus, the mysterious Redshape returns to his own Present label. More esoteric and less menacing than some of the red mask-wearing techno producer's previous output, The Gate/Voyager sees him set his sights on a more reflective path. "The Gate" resounds to dramatic chords and lithe back beats as a mysterious vocal talks about cosmic messages travelling at the speed of light. "Voyager" sees him head into an even more contemplative space. Its bass throbs and purrs powerfully, while all around it moody synths rise through the ether, like a sleek space craft gliding effortlessly across galaxies
Review: It's hard to believe that Plonk is almost a decade old. Famously, it featured on Marcel Dettmann's seminal Berghain mix CD back in 2008, a selection that was instrumental in introducing the Berlin club's sound to a global audience. And yet this release does not neatly dovetail with the soundtrack one would immediately associate with the world's best-known techno club. Sure, it's linear and dense, but Redshape's sparse arrangement is informed by the spacious dub of Basic Channel / Chain Reaction rather than harder iterations of techno. That said, the percussion is relentless in an understated manner and the eerie undercurrents do call to mind the many activities carried out in the club's nooks and crannies. More than anything though, the fact that it still sounds fresh after ten years says a lot about both Redshape and Dettmann's creative visions.
Review: It is hard to believe that this record is nearly 10 years old. When it appeared back in 2007 on Redshape's own label, the title track's eerie synths and uncontrollable splurging bass sounded like a revelation. Indeed, this type of raw techno was a breath of fresh but menacing air amid the slew of synthetic mnml sounds. On the flip, "Black Dust" isn't quite as heavy and takes inspiration from US deep house, thanks to its bleeding, Chicago bass and melancholic synths. As techno is once again plunged into a world of sixth form misery, we need records like Unfinished Symmetry more than ever.
Review: This is only Redshape's second release this year, but it shows that the masked man has not lost his ability to conjure up atmospheric techno. The title track is typical of his sound, with a dense, upbuilding groove playing host to swirling synths, acid pirouettes and even some deranged vocal chants in the background. "Paper Blades" is a more unusual composition; it sees the masked man slow down the tempo and drop loose break beats. Against this laid back framework, he lays down Pete Namlook-style soothing ambient textures and supernatural, swirling textures that prove once again that Redshape is not a typical techno producer.
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