Spaced. Stalking. Subtle. Swinging. STL’s 2009 EP ‘4 Tracker’ finally gets a digital release. Seemingly fit for only the seediest warehouse raves, ‘4 Tracker’ is just as spooky as it is alluring. The record is heavily characterized (as its title would suggest) by lo-fi minimalism. Oozing basslines, whizzing UFO-inspired keys and shuffling rhythms are all it needs to keep everything on edge. It’s like that scene in Enter the Void. This time be sure not to tell the Japanese cops that you have a gun.
STL - “Jungle Sometimes”
Purchase on Boomkat [digital]
Philipp Gorbachev’s ‘In the Delta’ takes us down the twisted backroads of the Italian countryside in a revved-up German sportscar—all the while, blasting Detroit techno at ear-splitting volume. Adrenaline-laced yet deeply-chic (chic-ly deep?), the record is gritty and sexy, smooth and powerful; dangerous and forcefully clean-cut. Gorbachev takes a healthy dose of Italo-disco/boogie influences and graphs them onto the raw, piston-powered engine chug of the Berlin warehouse, all the while pumping Detroit fuel into the gas tank. Delightful (and campy) high-speed car chase scenes from dawn ‘til dusk and beyond (or at least until the drugs wear off).
Purchase on Boomkat [digital]
Fizzing basslines vivaciously bumble, oldschool techno rhythms roll with vibrance, and pads delicately glimmer in heartache on Semtek’s ‘Pizza EP.’ The release steadily bends a delicate path between lighthearted love and tender solace. Each song develops gently with dynamic twists and turns guided by a deep, lingering sense of despondency. Though emotions are on high, the tracks nonetheless evoke a glowing lust for dancing—destined for the warehouse (see UR-affiliated DJ 3000’s remix for proof).
Gliding waves of synths hazily envelope the listener amidst a flurry of Detroit-style drum machine programming on The Parallel’s ‘Cosmic Observer EP.’ While ‘Exosphere’ showcases his ability to paint a chaotic and dismally mechanical postmodern soundscape akin to the catalogue of Underground Resistance, ‘Deep End’ and ‘Analogue City’ glow with a futurist energy that is completely his own. Flying cars and factories glide past in streaks of neon light as the EP takes us on a tour of a romanticized interpretation of the night in a 23rd century metropolis. Cyberpunks take note.
Spaced-out analog chords drift carelessly over a punctuated sea of 707 clicks and clacks on Benjamin Brunn’s Dust EP. Infectious and groovy, Brunn’s obsession with Chicago house shines and shimmers in each track as he takes us down a deep, jazz-laced rabbit hole. Though the record is largely a tribute to the jackin’ Chicago house sounds of the 80s and 90s, Brunn’s fresh, futurist approach twists the vibes to fit on a 21st century dance floor. Golden grooves.
Purchase on Boomkat [10” vinyl part 1] [10” vinyl part 2] [digital]
Off-Key Industries boss Matt O’Brien unleashes two deep-bass, deep-space techno-sex groovers with ‘Bloom / Without Warning’. Brimming with calmly cacophonous 909 bumps and sub-bass floor flex, the vibes are simple, unrefined and as naked as they come. Cosmic synths kiss, gaze and reflect on aptly titled ‘Bloom,’ whereas ‘Without Warning’ slowly climbs its way out from grimy London gutters only to explode in a seedy warehouse rave. Take drugs all night.
Purchase on Boomkat [vinyl] [digital]
Matt O’Brien - Bloom / Without Warning by Off-key Industries
Bitter wind, grey skies and an unending sea of tundra—the sounds of Axs’ ‘Arctic Circle’ live up to its name. Perpetually wandering barren landscapes, ‘Arctic Circle’ maintains just enough energy to breath, slowly shifting between snow-textured ambience and ice-cold rolling techno. It remains frozen forever in solemn beauty.
Purchase from label (Silent Season) [digital]
Purchase on Boomkat [digital]
Dj Rum’s Mountains EP on 2nd Drop draws listeners into a hazy, panoramic collage of techno-infused 2-step. Rum proves himself to be an effortless master of texture, each song exudes a glowing aura of deep emotion. From the rain-soaked passageways of ‘Undercoat’ to the faded crystaline portraits of ‘Turiya,’ Mountains EP keeps heartstrings taught and mind unwound throughout. Truly a journey.
Purchase on Boomkat [digital] [vinyl]
Dj Rum - Undercoat
Deep, sexy, raw and entrancing techno cuts from Berlin’s David Hausdorf. A master of loop-manipulation, this EP bubbles with booty shaking late-night-warehouse vibes. Euro-chic with a mix of sweaty Detroit grit blended in. Strong, bold and flavorful.
Purchase on Boomkat [digital]
