As its name suggests, Local Records is a new Romanian label focusing on homegrown artists, and this first download only release comes from techno producer Bogdan Anghel, who’s previously released more abstract and experimentally minded tracks on netlabels such as Inoquo and Claque Musique. This latest five track EP release Human Thermodynamics sees Anghel making the shift towards a lush midtempo techno aesthetic that seems more geared towards post-club listening than the dancefloor. Indeed, opening track introduces the relentless yet lazy midtempo rhythmic pulse that powers beneath this entire collection, shifting from a moody section of burbling 303 bass and pneumatic kicks, before the emergence of shimmering synth pads and an almost hiphop-styled breakdown sees things venturing further towards lighter, more optimistic shades. ‘Phase Transition’ meanwhile certainly manages to live up to Anghel’s self-described ‘cosmic techno’ tag, sending glittering metallic snares lazily trailing out against a shimmering backdrop of blurred-out Italo-disco synth arpeggiation, before ‘Aerospace Race’ hints towards the ambient house of The Orb circa ‘Adventures In The Ultraworld’ with its vast ambient drones nicely counterpointing the twinkling wide eyed electronics and smoothly ebbing rhythms that occupy the foreground. As well as the four studio tracks on offer here, there’s also the added bonus of Bogdan’s entire live set from the 2009 Rokolectiv Festival, which brings this ‘EP’ release to the more album-oriented length of 76 minutes. Well worth checking out – you can download Human Thermodynamics for free too!
Chris Downton
