Russian producer t_error 404 aka Vladimir Cherepanov is an expert in the field of modern techno strongly linked to EBM and rhythmic noise elements. His career started in 2007 with Bl00d Limit and has seen many releases where he developed his pounding and abrasive style. Now he debuts on Berlin-based label Area Z with Ritual Of Time, a 5-track cassette following suit with a songwriting knowing little boundaries and compromises. EBM, techno, even trance and rhythmic patterns inform a compulsive style made to conquer body and mind. Zeitgeist (Trance Version) is an apt welcome card not surprisingly mixing techno EBM, sampled riffs and old-school trance motifs. The track starts with an obsessive movement based on hypnotizing droning mantras and throbbing synth lines, conceiving a mechanical atmosphere. Then walls of electronics grow in a mesmerizing crescendo doomed to climax with robust trance passages. Body Aeon instead plays with old-school EBM elements integrated with familiar techno-industrial sounds. The result is a techno-EBM episode akin to today’s standards: it starts with a robotic arpeggiator underlined by steady kick drums and groovy lines, evolving with steel-like beats and shrilling effects. The track explodes in a vortex of unrelenting sounds and beats, mutating familiar patterns and discovering new solutions in a modern style. t_error 404 showcases a cassette rich in details and textures, mixing genres without being afraid of categories, but at the same time keeping a coherent and focused songwriting.
HUREN – ELEKTRONISCHE SELBSTDARSTELLUNG
Huren aka Dave Foster of Teste and O/H fame has always been an artist in his own league and dimension. In His sonic world techno, noise, punk, power electronics, downtempo, and much more, conspire against every standard, rule, fashion. His vast discography sees many EPs, singles, albums where he basically does what he wants. ELEKTRONISCHE SELBSTDARSTELLUNG is his last output, a 5-track vinyl on Zhark Recordings
further exploring his love for noiscapes, IDM structures, dark ambiances, and mutant techno moments. chants for magnetic tape works as a hymn for Musique concrète nostalgia, a collection of low frequencies and abrasive, shrilling distortions enriched by brooding atmospheres. children without worms (sound masses) is a claustrophobic techno industrial number made of factory-like scenarios and pounding rhythms underlined by sci-fi sounds. The track slowly grows into a sonic clockwork with a mechanical feeling, a dark late-night techno pastiche with noise soundscapes. immemmory motorik sound masses dwells in hard techno bass sounds and shrilling drums, conceiving an obsessive mantra with droning passages and strong club appeal. Effected vocals complete the lysergic atmosphere of the episode, almost a ritual for urban tribes. Huren gives us here another top quality work rooted in an uncompromising attitude born of real substance and artistic message.
Pablo Bozzi is one half of Imperial Black Unit and AREA Z together with Thomas Chalandon aka Templər, as well and a solo project under the name Lapse Of Reason. His debut is an EP vinyl called Sorrows and not surprisingly released on aufnahme+wiedergabe, the everything techno EBM label of choice in the Berlin scene. Here the French producer keeps exploring the realm of mixing EBM basslines and techno rhythmic structures with an enhanced sense for eerie atmospheres and dark undertones. The title track welcomes us in a world made of dystopian scenarios and groovy basslines completed by stark kick drums and sudden majestic synth sounds full of melancholy. Steady snares and punishing rhythms guide us among throbbing passages. Emergency surprises us with early 2000’s elements and electronic vortexes exploding in robust club-friendly material with a dark edge. Orchestral effects and obsessive keys endure a cinematic atmosphere. Take The Control showcases ghostly soundscapes with eerie qualities, slowly developing a motif colliding into bombastic EBM lines and unforgiving distorted kicks. The monolithic track sees sudden distorted vocals and old-school crescendos accompanied by darker moments. When They Speak ends the EP with almost funky rhythmic patterns with low tones and syncopated structures. A crawling dowtempo mantra conceive a serpentine pastiche with grim ambiances and steady rhythms. The result is a minimal but engaging take that showcases well developed vocal refrains and apt synth-lines full of dread. Sorrows doesn’t stray away too much from Imperial Black Unit, but its approach is more atmospheric and less militant even recalling the best moments of early 2000’s EBM. A satisfying start for sure.
Buttechno is the alias of Russian producer Pavel Milyakov, under which he releases his personal brand of techno informed by old-school electronic takes and very trippy vocal samples used as main bass-lines for the tracks. Actually his style is vary varied as he ventured under different aliases in different territories as ambient, deep house, downtempo, electro. With Badtrip, a doble LP released on Nina Kraviz’s трип, he plays with the possibilities of vocals manipulation and unconventional structures in techno. BBBASE is a perfect example of that: droning sounds are the base for bended vocal samples upon which filters are applied, as well as screeching effects. The track grows with steady snare drums, but sudden stops are around the corner in an enigmatic songwriting. J become is a schizophrenic mantra in which a sort of mutated r’n’b approach gives us a trap moment coming from a parallel universe. Once again vocal samples are the main actors, but the downtempo sound-design is no less important to the general economy of the track. tr-919 is a bombastic obsession with throbbing pulses and fragment vocal deliveries intertwined with steady snares and various effects. h9s is techno track under really bad acids, a mutate affair in which techno-house elements are manipulated, distorted , rendered as something altogether different and yet familiar. Buttechno is keeping alive teh flame of experimental techno pushing forward his sound thanks to a skilful sound-design and effective songwriitng.
