After a year-long hiatus, New York based Echologist, aka Brendon Moeller, reunites with French-based label Knotweed for “Salt and Pepper” EP — an acid-laced, minimal dub techno four tracker full of pure and deep grooving satisfaction.
With so many exciting new releases coming out, including many by serious heavy hitters in the techno scene, Echologist continues to stay true to his boundary-pushing productions that exist outside the realm of trends. His latest release, “Salt and Pepper”, continues to show off his deeply heady, groovy style.
“Mantle”, the first track on “Salt and Pepper”, really sets the entire four-tracker release apart from the current releases coming out. The whole track feels like a long stream of puzzles for your brain to solve and is part of what makes techno so appealing. Somehow all of the drama and tension built up in the music is always resolved and does so continuously.
A subdued, yet menacingly far-out drum track, “Mantle” is softened by filtered, portamento-sequenced chord lines and suspended, dub-top, rhythmic synth hits. Diving deeper into the track, the background presents a burbling reverb layer that catches pieces of all the track’s elements while hiding the resonant rhythm synth. If you focus your ears on just the reverb element, then you’ve transcended beyond the surface of the track and discovered the core of “Mantle”.
The next offering, “Reanimation”, seems to play out like a hard techno track, but Echologist continues to defy genre constraints, softening the piece with deeply layered dub elements. Heavily syncopated drums dance alongside a bouncing, rhythmic bass line that pushes the momentum forward and breathes fire into the track before deep, dubbed-out chords douse those flames for added tension.
Riffing off the title of the EP, “Salt and Vinegar” certainly serves up these flavors. A restrained, high pass acid line is grounded by a deep, reverberating sub bass, while a constantly shaking high hat salts the syncopated kick and snare patterns.
Rounding out the “Salt and Pepper” EP is closing track “Strides”, which features a driving rhythm underneath a resonant, high pass acid line, revealing the resonant tips of the acid from behind the filter sweeps. As the track progresses, one can hear that the acid is actually layered underneath a separate, matching acid line in deep reverb, creating a sweet sonic twist to “Strides”. The progression is reminiscent of the mid ‘90s acid era with artists like Djax Up, Steve Stoll, or DJ Skull, but the overall elements of the track feel more at home in present times, providing the perfect musical environment for Echologist to play in.
Once again, Echologist delivers satisfying dub techno productions with this Knotweed Records released “Salt and Pepper” EP. An artist that knows how to wield techno effectively while staying true to his own agenda, Echologist continually toys with the harder elements of techno and contrasts them with soothing, dub-heavy elements. You don’t often hear gritty, but groovy, acid-laden dub techno, yet here Echologist thrives.
-Sean Ocean
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