Albums
John Luther Adams
Félicia Atkinson
Cardopusher
Matt Christensen
Enrico Coniglio
Coniglio / Under the Snow
Dakota Suite
Deadbeat
Deepchord
Vladislav Delay Quartet
DJ W!LD
Dreissk
Mark E
Marcus Fjellström
Fourcolor
Fovea Hex
Ákos Garai
Kreng
Lerosa
Machinedrum
Mem1 + Stephen Vitiello
Message to Bears
Novi_sad
Rick Reed
Alexander Rishaug
Jannick Schou
Secret Cinema
Seven Saturdays
Sleeps in Oysters
Sound People
Strom Noir
Ryan Teague
thisquietarmy
thisquietarmy + Yellow6
Amon Tobin
Alexander Turnquist
Damian Valles
Vetrix
Simon Whetham
Winterlight
Compilations / Mixes
Brownswood Electr*c 2
Laid Compilation
Prosumer
EPs
David Åhlén
Arkhonia
Bad Sector
Bengalfuel
Wil Bolton
Ed Cooke
Davis / Kleefstras
Detroit: DeepConstructed
d'incise
Final Cut
Gang Colours
Richard A Ingram
Pfirter / Dadub
Nils Quak
Rhythm Baboon
Rumpistol
Mark Templeton
Damian Valles
Josh Varnedore
Pfirter / Dadub:
Universe / Metropolis
Stroboscopic Artefacts
More next-level material from the fabulous Stroboscopic Artefacts impint. This time out we've got two lethal and bulldozing samplings of the label's distinctive art-techno from Pfirter and the two masterminds behind Artefacts Mastering, Dadub. As usual, it's the sound design that distinguishes Stroboscopic Artefacts' material, and that's no less the case on this split vinyl release. After the relentless 4/4 throb of the kick drum helps Pfirter's “Universe” takes flight, hi-hats and snares appear that hit with the violent force of a cracked whip and subsequent sonic details only deepen the track's tripped-out character. Oppressive cloud formations roll in to occasionally push aside the raucous sputter, and a shuddering organ also appears on the horizon when the tune isn't rampaging forward.
Dadub's “Metropolis” is, if anything, even more wicked in its aggressive attack. The attention to sonic detail is again at its highest level, with the duo giving the low-end pulse a primal thrust that makes its seem unstoppable. It's a good thing too that the rhythm details are so solidly in place because the tune otherwise could splinter into pieces given the intensity with which Dadub batters it so mercilessly with mangled shards of dissonant noise. Accompanying the release are digital makeovers by a new addition to the Stroboscopic Artefacts roster, Edit Select, who throws industrial material of all sorts, it seems, in the path of Pfirter's “Universe” without managing to divert it from its straight-ahead path, and also dials up the intensity in his seething “Metropolis” makeover too. Though the extras are truly bonuses in this case, they do nothing to diminish the effectiveness of the two originals, which uphold the high standard of Lucy's recent Wordplay For Working Bees and the two Resampled installments that also just appeared.
June 2011