Token Label boss Kr!z comes out of the pack with a deep and droning four track “Atlantis” EP with remixes and reconstructions by Marcal and Oscar Mulero you’d be a fool to pass on.
The Belgian label Token coming out of Ghent has been at the forefront of quality Techno for some time with a track record of many releases that’re well supported by all Techno heads worldwide. Simply for the quality of the releases and the consistency of the output and because of this, they’ve been given essentially carte blanche in the scene to pick whoever they want for their releases. Thus cementing a strong foothold as one of the major scene leaders in Techno.
This time on “Atlantis”, Kr!z comes out with a couple straightforward tracks that have synth lines with a slow modulation and infinity release as the central theme. The main idea is that they modulate in intensity at the right peak of a changeover to really lock in the hard, deep grooves within. The title track illustrates this perfectly, while on “Nautilus” the synth hits are used for emphasis and the loop layer features a synth mimicking a squashed drum loop filtered down and compressed heavily. This heavy line gives the track some massive weight without much effort as the top line over it mimics a corkscrew splashing through the water. You can immediately imagine Jules Verne here quite easily as your mind traces the outline of the submarine from “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea” in your imagination.
Oscar Mulero and Marcal make an appearance on this release with remix duties that each show a personal approach to the material on offer. Mulero slows the modulations on “Atlantis” in his version. There are no existing builds and more of a dissociation with the main synth being replaced by an FM bell tone and jacking Chicago-style kicks and claps merged with Downbeat. The well-loved Brazilian producer Marcal takes on “Nautilus” with a more funky approach as interstitial FX and vocal hits drive the chunky bassline forward with a serious tribal groove.
In summation, this is a pretty standard release by the Token records team, and Kr!z here. When one says ‘standard’ for Token, it generally means that a majority of the other releases fall way short in comparison. They have set the bar rather high, and they consistently meet their expectations and goals with every release. “Atlantis” is a stunning feat and deserves applause for this week’s most talked about Techno release.
-Sean Ocean
Check out Dirty Epic music recommendations here.
Listen to our podcasts here.
Find out more about our events here.
