Review: Veteran UK producer Justin Berkovi was always one of the scene's most diverse producers and Mondrian sees him give full vent to his creativity. It starts in sombre mood with the warm synths of "Godspeed" before veering into the grinding, bass-heavy title track. "Nadir" follows in more chilled form again with textured ambience floating over hissing percussive rivulets. "Oceans" marks a sea change with a housey groove bolstered by a bouncy electronic bass, while the heavy bassline and sensuous strings of "Days Go By" show Berkovi's return to harder sounds. However, when he focuses on a more esoteric techno sound, as is the case on the steely drums of "The Observer" and "City Lights", that Mondrian yields its greatest results.
Review: German label Trapez focuses on a tougher sound than usual here. The title track is supported by a dense, heavy rhythm and the enveloping, textured chords that swirl in from above lend it a quasi-industrial feeling. The mood remains the same on Nicole Moudaber's version: forsaking toolish house for something darker and harder, the gritty drums are propelled towards the dance floor via some shaking percussion. "Turbine Hall" sees the trio opt for a more intense approach: upping the tempo significantly, the pounding bass supports razor sharp percussion and a spacey but austere filtered chord sequence. Finally, and probably as an antidote to the preceding intensity, "Crimson River" provides a deeper approach, with a rolling rhythm and trancey pads. Recommended.
Review: It may have little to do with spaghetti westerns, but Dill's latest release brings with it an intuitive understanding of how to represent the darker side of house and techno. "The Evil" is propelled by shuffling rhythms and heavy acidic lines, while "The Good" sees Dill opt for a harder, more techno oriented sound, as dense drums provide a springboard for spiralling trancey riffs. "The Bad" goes a few steps further again, its stomping groove guided by a grinding bass. The remixes are less intense, but there is no doubt that the same spirit prevails on the grimy acid of Van Bonn's take on "The Evil".
Review: Deepchild tracks "Fire" and "Backroom" had such an effect on fellow Trapez artists that the label issued a remix package of the two songs from the imprint's supporting cast. Autodeep turn "Fire" into an ice cool piece of deep house whilst Leeks, Salz, Dopamine and Kink bring their own interpretations of "Backroom".
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.