Betroit
German producer Pierre Deutschmann, head of the XLR1507 label, has been kicking around the techno world for the last twenty years or so and, though the title of this album is in deference to the two cities pivotal to the genre – Berlin and Detroit (akin to the 1993 release Tresor II: Berlin & Detroit – A Techno Alliance) in truth it’s an homage to the world-wide progression of techno and its heroes since Juan Atkins released No UFOs back in 1985.
Whilst the 808 kicks, snares and hi-hats of Area1507 scream of Detroit circa 1987, and Defcon with its dominant pumping bassline is something that Ben Klock would play in the German capital, there’s also a whole heap more on this release covering a multitude of techno’s sub-genres.
_Cruf shows (first wave) electro tendencies expertly demonstrated by the likes of Dave Clarke in the UK. Subtly building with a menacing growling undercurrent, LookingBackwards has a hint of mid-nineties progressive about it, whilst the jack-hammer kick-drum of Nerdvana could equally have been one of Surgeon’s productions from 1995 or Blawan’s from 2011.
From the sublime to the in-your-face, this collection of techno jams is worth tracking down for lovers of the harder edged sound.
ANDREW NELSON
