Tbilisi label DifferentSound releases The Old Seers EP, a hyper-detailed exploration of hypnotic techno from emerging talent Mikrotakt.
Sacha Treasure, also known as Mikrotakt, spent most of the quarantine busy developing their sound. Countless hours of hard work have paid off, and now we get to hear what the talented producer has been concocting over the last two years. Having only debuted the new alias less than a year ago, Mikrotakt has showed extraordinary consistency, releasing several EPs, featured tracks on various compilations, and is steadily making a name for himself among the best up-and-coming producers/DJs Europe has to offer. Mikrotakt’s latest EP for Georgia-based label, DifferentSound, titled “The Old Seers EP,” makes for a perfect starting point for getting to know this promising artist.
The first track, “Tonal,” immediately conveys the level of painstaking detail put into much of Mikrotakt’s productions. From the jump, layers of percussion echo there way left and right, filling in about as much stereo width as possible. While it’s obvious that most elements repeat throughout the composition, as with most techno, this track quickly becomes extremely difficult to pin point what are repeating and what’s evolving. Dampened claps and open hi-hats blur and scatter with modulated delays. A faint sound, resembling that of an iPhone receiving a text message, subtly accentuates the spooky lead melody, both of which never fully emerge out of the thick layers of percussive camouflage that conceal them. “Tonal” avoids nearly all tropes and clichés that too often make some productions start to feel stale or uninspired, and instead explores rich, complex textures while fleshing out an unorthodox groove.
Next is the title track, “The Old Seers,” which takes us deeper into Mikrotakt’s hypnotic sound of the future. A whirlwind of crisp hats, chimes and bubbling tones, this track feels like getting caught in a hailstorm in the best way possible. While, technically speaking, the composition can be broken down into just a handful of layers, focusing in on more than one at a time feels like an impossible undertaking, as no element stays static. Just as you begin to wrap your head around one piece of the puzzle, it inevitably manages to change just enough to prevent fatigue, yet keep you fully locked-in throughout.
While I perceive the EP as a whole to be cutting edge, “Emanation” simply takes things up a notch. Recorded sounds of spray paint cans rattle, while a maniacal backbeat of several kick and toms propels things forward. Suddenly a massive, reverberated voice teases the breakdown, and reverses its way back up and into an epic drop. What makes this track feel slightly harder and more driving is partly from Mikrotakt’s use of side-chain compression; a technique for getting certain elements or frequencies to duck out of the way of others, creating a pumping effect. In this case, the bass, melody, and some of the percussion, all fall back when the downbeat hits, making the kick seem significantly fatter and more present, especially compared to the previous tracks, where the downbeat isn’t as emphasized. Later, a stuttering, distant vocal sample is played rhythmically like a drum, a final touch that helps to make the track feel well rounded and complete.
“The Old Seers” might just be Mikrotakt’s best work to date, and promises much more exceptional music to come from this up and coming talent. The level of detail and precision in these productions is no small feat, and the hard work that led to this quality release is worth celebrating. Support the artist and label with a digital download of the EP using the link above.
-Jeronimo Watson
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