Marco Faraone lends an iron-clad hand to no-nonsense techno label On Edge Society with the young imprint’s third release, the Black Air EP. A quartet of lead-heavy techno rollers, Black Air reeks of menace—it’s unapologetic in its delivery from the first opening bars, and hypnotic and unrelenting till the end.

The title track is pure hydraulic groove, mechanistic and unstoppable, its acidic bassline popping and fizzing rhythmically behind a thundering kick and double-hit drums. Analog claps, rough-cut melodies and fine-tuned outboard sequencing give this fluid techno track the aura of techno’s original, automated-motor soul. “Consumed,” with its ravenous marching pace and gradual acidic undertones, immerses from the get-go: Increasing in power as those outboards are manipulated once again, there’s room for pressurized groove, chopped and EQed vocal stabs, and distorted melodies. It’s a no-bullshit roller that’s most likely to appease those heads following the rumbling timbres of Drumcode‘s Alan Fitzpatrick and Matter+ boss Victor Calderone.

The EP comes loaded with two remixes, from Spanish blood Regal and Argentina’s Flug. The former locks into a grooving rerun of “Black Air,” slower in tempo and more minor-key in chord tone, with intensifying melodic lines and atmospheric, eerie tones gathering in the background. Flug, meanwhile, takes on “Consumed,” finding life through swollen drums and bass-heavy beginnings, as more analog effects and searing melodies swing in and out of earshot. A menacing rhythm takes form, with clapping drums and synth lines permeating a thick wall of crunching beats and bass. Overall, it’s a triumphant release from On Edge Society, and a fine choice for those looking for meat on the bones of their grooves.