Analogical Force レコード& CD

Review: You can always rely on Analogical Force to come through with the heavyweight goods and dgoHn's Portus EP is just that. This deft four-tracker is a study in the mix of light and dark, heavy and airy. 'Enclosed' manages to float on suspensory synths while the busy drums flap below next to splashy hits. 'Kind Of Sort Of Not Really' pairs pensive, inwardly reflective synths with busier drum workouts and 'Nots' heads into jungle territory but with bass so nimble you can't sit still. Closer 'Pox' might be the best of the lot with its moody bass and chords and kinetic, pinging drums.

Review: Lowfish (Gregory De Rocher) makes his Analogical Force debut after a longstanding career rubbing shoulders with such greats as Noise Factory Records, and running his own NA-baed label Suction. The electro vanguardist lives up to his expectations and exceeds them here on 'Thaw', venturing to do things most electro artists think you're sort of not meant to do - and pulling them off anyway. '8_OP Extended', for example, drops into a beat that sounds pitched-down and murky, but the whole thing is still stellarly shocking. A minimal/lowercase focus ensues, with a snappy, unpolished feel to tracks like 'Sound Equipment'.

Review: Mattias Ostling returns as Rolando Simmons with the brilliant new 'Terrestrial Ultra-Doula' EP once again showcasing his signature braindance sound on Analogical Force. This four-track collection is an adventurous exploration of acid-infused rhythms that will bang on any dance floor whether a calmer back room or a more lively main room. The standout track for us is 'Multiharmony (Satyr mix)' which features soothing pads paired with lively drum machine patterns, while the title track 'Droopy (Terrestrial Ultra-Doula Mix)' blends dreamy elements with energetic rave breaks. Ostling expertly navigates the realms of rave, IDM, and techno here as he crafts lush yet fidgety beats that demonstrate his unique alchemical approach.

Review: Techno is a misunderstood thing. Big stages and even bigger drums pounding out relentless and often unthoughtful loops really isn't where the genre is as a whole. One of the most varied sounds in the dance spectrum, defining the canon has always been pretty hard and zeitgeist counts for more than strict rules of arrangement, tempo and composition. Sixty is just the reassurance heads will need then. While some might argue we're closer to electro than anything, for the most part anyway, perhaps no more so than in the detailed and glitchy warmth of 'Micfrk' by Gherat, let's not get pedantic. Largely broken and off-centre beats of the deep, emotive and patient kind from innovators like Patricia and Fasme, frenetic and intense staccato snares via Oh Mr Jones, rave-y, hardcore infused emotive bombs via Novel 23 and James Shinra.