So about that rock you may or may not be living under, if you haven’t heard of Rene Wise or Blueprint, you’d be wise to pick up this sure shot Techno record of the summer, “Knock Motion”. Across the EP, Wise’s simplistic, stripped down tribal grooves, full of style and dynamic punch, are the name of the game.
An incontrovertible fact, whether you believe it or not, is that Rene Wise is truly a man who knows how to make Techno. It seems as natural to him as turning on a faucet, or at least that’s the impression he gives—so much so that there’s even a bit of amusement in his tracks that come through to seemingly self-entertain aspects to keep things interesting for him. Tracks like “Swamp Dancer” released on Sk_Eleven last year highlight this witty, sideways smile in his Techno. One might take a, “What if we did this.. It would be fun if I tried this..” sort of approach. This “Knock Motion” EP has some seriously pounding grooves along with wry experiments and the admittedly funny “Frown Like Brown”, with its out-of-place, James Brown shriek from the start of “I Feel Good” to point out stoic jerks on the dancefloor. “Is it a party, or is it an all-black art house affair? Rene Wise is here to say he really “Don’t Care.”
There are very compelling artistic experiments across the EP, and Wise’s continued interest in ethnic rhythms is evident on “Shaman Whistle” and “Knock Motion” as well as “Don’t Care”. All of them are solid, hypnotic, sound-system workouts. There’s many straightforward and simple beats, and at the same time this subtle, dynamic interplay. The energy contained in these tracks are both infectious and easily translatable. Further proof is revealed in the last outro of “Don’t Care” as the bass of his rolling kicks are tuned to semitones and swung to create a groove that makes the tracks come alive. When compressed with the main drums, it becomes nuanced and a signature element that makes it impossible not to move on the dancefloor.
Overall, the “Knock Motion” EP by Rene Wise is a fun delivery of seriously danceable, hypnotic, and grooving tribal flavors you’d be remiss or incredibly daft not to pick up. It states an eloquent hand in the medium of the music—one that is equally at home making Techno—grooving and efficient. But it is also an EP that seeks to satisfy curiosities while having fun playing within the genre. Expect to hear it as a prominent feature in some Techno sets in the near future, rest assured.
-Sean Ocean
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