Saint Petersburg-based minimal techno duo R&J emp (real names Roman Dudnik and Vyacheslav Safarov) have previously released tracks on netlabels including Perceptive and Deep-X, and this latest tenth volume in Rednetic’s limited 3 inch CDR series represents their first physical release. After the venture towards hardstyle on Damon McU’s preceding volume, this four track EP sees the mood returning to calmer minimal techno pastures, with ‘Health’ opening things here, with a deep backdrop of vaguely electro-influenced bass pads and bleeping analogue electronics providing a spacious backdrop for streamlined clicking snares and glittery hi-hats that calls to mind one of Swayzak’s more sheeny electro explorations.
‘Minipac+’ meanwhile sees spring-loaded, elastic bass swells and dark robotic synth sequences fusing nicely with pneumatic house rhythms and shimmering sampled loops in what’s easily one of the most dancefloor-oriented moments here, before ‘Streamstep’ goes for a more funk-infused, rattling feel, with retro breakers’ rhythms punching away beneath a thick synth-bass line and flickery, shuffling electronic noises. Finally, ‘The Dark Miner’ takes things out amidst a brooding backdrop of vast synthetic bass swells and reverberating dubbed-out electronics as tumbling tech rhythms take things out in a direction that’s perhaps closer to the M-nus label. Impressive stuff that also highlights the more dancefloor-oriented leanings of Rednetic’s 3 inch CDR series, and once again there are only a scant 100 physical copies available.
Chris Downton
