Dublin-based producer Anodyne has a pedigree that goes back to the last of SKAM’s ultra-limited MASK 12″s, and indeed earlier. From what I can tell from the online samples, Anodyne’s music now is ultra-hard techno, kick drums and squelching synths. On this remix EP, however, he enlists three veterans of the ’90s electronic scene to do their work on his album.
The Black Dog turn in a typical Black Dog tune – 4/4 techno, swirling atmospherics, bleeps and bloops, and then finally, halfway through its almost 10 minutes, some pads enter and it all becomes much more warm and Blade Runner. Which is lovely. And the 2 1/2 minute ambient outro adds to the nostalgic gleam.
Autechre, however. This is a curious one. It’s almost impossible to discern any of the current-day Ae sound in this track – so much so that I went to some lengths to confirm it wasn’t wrongly tagged. Starting with big analog synth pads, and then some robotic vocals, the closest Autechre tune would probably be Basscadet. And then, one minute in… Big Chunky Breakbeat. In fact, pretty much the breakbeat – Funky Drummer – which suggests that this is a very knowing wink. It’s named after Corporation Street, the location of the infamous Manchester IRA bombing in 1996, but has none of the 1996-era Key Nell-style beat juggling either. Just one breakbeat loop and a melancholy (but big) synth pad. Bit of a drop-out section, spin and repeat. Well, it’s nice enough I guess.
Finland’s Lackluster also comes from the late-’90s IDM scene, and his skittery syncopated programming, with sharp highs and punchy lows, and breathy pads, delivers the most satisfying track to my ears. It’s as much a nostalgia-fest as the other two tracks, so my preference simply belies the sort of sound I’d like to hear, and while Ae’s mix just doesn’t sound like they tried very hard, there’s plenty of intricacy to be found in Lackluster’s entry.
Peter Hollo
