You‘re probably expecting loads of poker-faced, future-tilting, Detroitian techno from Mr. Craig, right? Guess again. Planet E‘s honcho subverts expectations with this 18-track mix that mainly explores house‘s deeper terrain while keeping the party vibes at fever pitch (aided by Craig‘s own synth embellishments, handclaps, and crowd-hyping exhortations). After layering lush synth washes over Ying Yang Twins‘ nasty a cappella of “Wait,” Craig segues into pacific, Basic Channel-like techno with his “Angel (Caya Dub).” But soon after, he‘s off on a soulful, cowbell-heavy house bender, before returning to more familiar orchestral tech-house. Craig‘s dug deep for Fabric 25, and it pays hedonistic dividends.
Andi Teichmann Fades
Techno and indie rock rarely make compatible bedfellows, but with Fades, Andi Teichmann attempts to foster seduction between the genres, and occasionally succeeds. “Myschkin” makes a great initial impression with warped harpsichord drones, a bravura New Order bassline and poignant pianso atop a brawny midtempo techno rhythm. As Fades progresses, kohl-eyed ballads with pensively strummed acoustic guitar and wispy male vocals vie for dominance with elegant 4/4 bangers full of dramatic swerves and abrasive textures, splitting the difference between Alter Ego and Superpitcher. Sure it‘s schizo, but Teichmann‘s stab at this unlikely union often yields thrilling results.
Thomas Brinkmann Lucky Hands
This prolific minimal techno magus‘ follow-up to 2004‘s challenging Tokyo+1 (musique concréte techno partially composed of field recordings foraged from that city) actually more closely resembles his R&B/funk-loop-driven Soul Center project; opening track “Drops” chugs into Soul Center‘s experimental house mode, with recessive funk and R&B genes lending it surprising flavor. Overall, Lucky Hands is Brinkmann‘s most song-oriented effort, with partner Tusia Beridze singing on four tracks, including the strange cover of Morrissey‘s “The More You Ignore Me,” which sounds like a deadpan Flying Lizard deconstruction. The disc peaks with “Margins,” a hypnotic dub trudge that recalls Talking Heads‘ chilling “Listening Wind.”
Jamalski Ruffnecks Revenge
Jungle MC albums are a hard sell and hyper-kinetic Jamalski‘s unending delivery trips over its own flow as often as it excites the audience. “Devil Dandruff” rolls out well but the rest is mired in French d&b‘s obsession with posturing synth lines over good old beats and bass. Producers like Soper, Capital J, and even Future Prophecies don‘t bring the energy needed to make it work, and Jamalski is left holding the bag.
D.M. Project Habibi Remix
Ridiculously infectious, this 12″ is stunningly simple. It‘s a rework of Bam‘s “Planet Rock” mashed together with some music from Aladdin. Rio‘s DJ Marlboro made it and it‘s so weird and undeniably catchy that you‘ll be hearing this at hipster juke joints for years to come. Berlin‘s Man Recordings on a roll.
Exile Pro Agonist
Manic in the extreme but wonderfully clean, Exile is the whiz kid sitting at the back of the class between Hellfish and End.user-he makes dogfight sounds but still walks away with an A. Too chopped up to stay in the D&B scene, Planet Mu welcomed him into its family and he gave them a riotous album. All synths going off at crazy angles, growls, grinds, and drum crashes, Pro Agonist rockets along at breakneck tempo with a few bits of crazed ambient to break it up. A twisted metal sound war in an album of party jamz.
One Self Be Your Own
DJ Vadim‘s left his creaking doors for warmer pastures, taking collaborators Yarah Bravo and Blu Rum 13 with him. The beats are still pastiche but now there‘s undeniable sex appeal, synths soaring over funky clavinets. Amp Fiddler turns the get-it-on knob up to 11 with two remixes then flips it back to Vadim who provides a real dub workout. The best singles from the album.
X:144 and SPS Last Voice
Two heavy hits that manage to speak positive and call out injustice without being preachy, talking up MLK and Ghandi while creating one hell of a hype party. X:144‘s cuts blaze while SPS gives 110%, with a real urgency in his delivery. The whole thing is drenched in Florida keyboards but never comes across soft. Expect big things.
Various Artists Now 03
This five-artist compendium-available on vinyl, CD or MP3 download-sees the likes of Menu:Exit, Frank Bretschneider, and others explore techno‘s experimental possibilities with as many mutations and intentional errors as possible. New artist Bogger‘s (Berlin‘s Oliver Kiesow) electro drums bite like shark teeth, while Everest plumbs Ghostly Records‘ new-school handclap IDM. M:E provides another highlight with his Deadbeat-ish dub-style polyrhythmic freakout.
Pellarin Oil On Aluminum #1: Tango EP
Danish producer Lars Pellarin‘s music is the aural equivalent of watching an abstract minimalist painting being created, with each aquamarine or purple-grey brushstroke applied methodically until a blank white canvas is shaded with amorphous colors. His intentionally obscured rhythms aren‘t the focus on these five tracks; rather, light-particle noise fragments and the hiss of long-decayed echoes create a slowly emerging fusion of sounds. A subtle, evocative presentation.
