Tag Archives: Techno

Roman Flügel – Fatty Folders

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

cerebral minimal electro

Moods

Memorable melodic minimal electro, a refreshing listen

Thoughts

Nice first-half, on par with any good minimal cerebral IDM (four tet, etc). The improviser is an interesting piece in the practice of tension building song writing. Otherwise a pleasant listen overall that tapers off toward the end.

Peggy Gou cites this as a record that inspired her to seriously start producing music. As this was released in 2011, it's interesting to learn about the recent records that are proving to be influential on the younger generation. It doesn't sound that experimental to me but it feels like a very honest reference.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Roman-Fl%C3%BCgel-Fatty-Folders/release/4558753

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwJEYND3Vwo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB0iD4ZFmF8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3Kr-NYB2MU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHf3wa55fuk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsTTI-NI4iI

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Roman Flügel – Fatty Folders

Description: Album Review of Roman Flügel – Fatty Folders


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Space Dimension Controller – Welcome To Mikrosector-50

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

robotic g-funk techno

Moods

daft punk lost in deep space

Thoughts

Looking past the cheesy voice and narrative stuff is a set of great electro productions. Maintains a g-funk flavor and techno thing at times.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Space-Dimension-Controller-Welcome-To-Mikrosector-50/release/4343221

Listen!

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Space Dimension Controller – Welcome To Mikrosector-50

Description: Album Review of Space Dimension Controller – Welcome To Mikrosector-50


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

K-Lone – Sine Language

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Gritty hip electro house

Moods

Raw textures compliment strong productions on this hip minimal electro ep

Thoughts

Resident Advisor said it well:

Sine Language features four very different productions, putting K-Lone's versatility on display. The title track draws on a vintage Detroit style, mixing electro beats and hip-hop vocals—hardly a novel idea in 2019. But a sweet, subtly out-of-place ambient breakdown interrupts the flow at the perfect moment, keeping things interesting. "Batacuda" and "Bells" are experiments at slower tempos, something we've seen a lot of from UK-based producers in recent years, particularly those in the Timedance camp. "Batacuda" floats along, emanating a drowsy humidity, while "Bells" is moody and thoughtful, coated in a chiming haze. "Missed Calls," a carefully crafted piece of taught, polyrhythmic braindance, is probably the best track on the EP. With this kind of eclecticism, a producer takes the risk of spreading themselves too thinly, but not K-Lone. He brings an intelligence and inventiveness to everything he does, unifying his work and making it essential listening every time.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/K-Lone-Sine-Language/release/13695712

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifxYPDdNtKk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erI8pZgHwnc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQHdaRoJFHw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTdoBtMea2o

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K-Lone – Sine Language

Description: Album Review of K-Lone – Sine Language


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Shit And Shine – Bad Vibes

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

intense electro

Moods

Electroshock dance-punk

Thoughts

booming and slightly brooding electro with weight, drifts into acid house territory at times. A couple tracks (acid and backstage) take a warped vocal sampling approach to hedonistic activities while still holding this catchy dance-punk beat.

All songs are open ended and freeform with heavy repetition on basic basslines. For that reason I'd leave this for slightly more experimental listeners with a tolerance for that kind of thing. It seems like a group that would have an interesting live show with lots of places for improvisations.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Shit-Shine-Bad-Vibes/release/12782873

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ5bLD3JDtc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPj2uqCwS6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b3KORG031c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F9sH3RYonc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IukyZwcV7bc

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Shit And Shine – Bad Vibes

Description: Album Review of Shit And Shine – Bad Vibes


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Michael Mayer – Immer

by ·

★★★★★ = Classic, essential listening

Sounds like?

Minimal house

Moods

One of the finest minimal house mixes ever is now on YouTube!

Thoughts

Michael Mayer's immer and fabric mixes were eye-opening to me in terms of what mix is capable of. Taken alone the tracks on Immer aren't anything special – bit of bounce here, bit of ambiance there – stitched together they become this incredible cohesive entity. The subtle shifts are perfectly timed and show a mastery of songwriting even when it's all borrowed sounds. I love the sparse emptiness of minimal, there's something so alienating yet comforting about it. Immer has a sound I can only describe as grey, like the weather in Berlin or the film tone in those Nordic crime dramas.

Mayer's skill here is largely reliant on his tasteful selection and vision for this mix which is executed perfectly. Kompakt is an impressive label but Immer is in a league of its own, forever indeed.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Michael-Mayer-Immer/release/34646

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PeTIa1yGao

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Michael Mayer – Immer

Description: Album Review of Michael Mayer – Immer


Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Actress – Splazsh

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

Accessible experimental electro

Moods

Deep dank dark club music

Thoughts

this isn't gunning for the dance floor but it would work really well in certain 'dance' settings. Thinking smoke machines, deep, rhythmic.

It conjures up bad sound systems with tracks that have this bloated bass like you're listening to a dj through the basement floor of a club. Maybe that's the point: It's club like music presented out of context, from far away. Detached as an observer. The whole thing feels hazy, like it's filtered through something. weed maybe… i dunno but there's a separation between the listener and the music.

He's pushing electronic music forward in his own way, I suspect this will age well. At 10 years it still sounds relevant.

 

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Actress-Splazsh/release/2281630

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0FmZReUWXU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcnRT-m9MYo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqUzSq1MVh0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0bJUbcBP_c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqQFMjUySio

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Actress – Splazsh

Description: Album Review of Actress – Splazsh


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Objekt – Cocoon Crush

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

cerebral left field artsy experimental electro with a boom

Moods

Earthworms eating

 

Thoughts

There's this skittering sound he uses that gives it this insect like feel. The blurry line between organic and mechanical nature of bugs,he plays into this with a creepiness.

I enjoyed this the first time through with it's detailed and rich production, lots of little earworms to get lost in. These are songs and it's a testament to his ability as a songwriter (lots of electronic musicians focus only on the sound and develop little in the way of composition).

However after multiple listens I feel it's missing something. I moved past the immediacy of the beauty and found myself bored and thinking about what's next. I can appreciate these songs as singles but as an album it felt too much.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Objekt-Cocoon-Crush/release/12777177

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlW2naIokwA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QwceWXWi-w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqZF0wTEwF4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj-kgypzFnU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zUAoHc4eZc

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Objekt – Cocoon Crush

Description: Album Review of Objekt – Cocoon Crush


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Overmono – Whities 019

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

rhythmic leftfield electro

Moods

accessible experimental electro

Thoughts

As good as anything that's been produced by interesting leftfield artists in recent years. A good example is the dueling percussion lines on track 1: skittish like aphex twin, but also has a hip and appealing vibe.

Really solid on further listens, tight EP.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Overmono-Whities-019/release/12867498

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjrclkgODdk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtT4LktJmWg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9fOHmPA4qU

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Overmono – Whities 019

Description: Album Review of Overmono – Whities 019


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Topdown Dialectic – Topdown Dialectic

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

minimal house with ambient ideas

Moods

A black cosmos speckled with particle grooves

Thoughts

Really connect with this. Highly repetitive song structures with interesting bits that subtly float up through the rhythm. There tends to be some rhythm even when it's at is most atmospheric, makes this an accessible record for people who wouldn't typically listen to ambient. Production mimics lofi at times.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Topdown-Dialectic-Topdown-Dialectic/release/13230387

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWRk6DUlR8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTED4Tn_q6o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy-2mEg9TTU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89usL-4pI1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zMkBu_E84Y

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Topdown Dialectic – Topdown Dialectic

Description: Album Review of Topdown Dialectic – Topdown Dialectic


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Superpitcher – So Far So Super

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

German minimal house

Moods

a retrospective of superpitchers career

Thoughts

hard to concisely categorize how a career spanning document sounds but it's definitely German minimal house, certain darkness' with a bit of spoken word whimsy. I wasn't crazy about the first half or so. Some OK moments. Lots of lyrics but none of it particularly good.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Superpitcher-So-Far-So-Super/release/8395925

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faHxF-bD-N8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM5coZk_lkE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9n7QLJvWZg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPtyyMkxMRM

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Superpitcher – So Far So Super

Description: Album Review of Superpitcher – So Far So Super


Rating: 2 out of 5