Kai Van Dongen returns to the Truncate label after a couple years of pursuing self-releases with a deeper and fuller sound, stripping it all back for a set of punchy and chunky tracks true to the Truncate label aesthetic on his latest release “Unpredictable.”
The LA-based label Truncate, which was previously just a vehicle and tools-based record label to support David Flores’ alternate alias, has grown and blossomed over the years into a full-time alias for him. Instead, the world seemed to prefer the stripped-down aesthetics of the sound of Truncate as a label and informing Techno’s direction as a whole. This is possibly because the records are routinely mastered supremely well by Dietrich Schoeneman and rock sound systems completely with the bass response. As such, the Truncate aesthetic is one of those unintentional circumstances that forced the hand of artistry and principles in Techno by a mutually self-sustaining, creative dialogue.
Van Dongen here on “Unpredictable” has changed up some of his styles on his KVD self-releases, returning to some of the previous guiding principles on his prior Truncate releases but also coming up with a few new tricks. A good example of this would be the extra use of transient design and strengthening of the attacks on “M12 Bleep”, further increasing the dynamics to something bright, fast, funky, and very punchy indeed.
On the title track as well, “Unpredictable,” we’re brought to a stripped-down, Chicago jackin’ minimalistic style reminiscent of Steve Poindexter as a base, but also referencing a stripped-out, late 90’s, Schranz 1 bar riff, making the track go completely wild yet in a tense and restrained manner.
“Analog 9” comes back with a Northern English, Bleep Techno minimalist feel but sped up to a frenetic pace for today’s dance floor and infused with seriously hypnotic elements to bust open some minds on the dancefloor.
Kai Van Dongen closes out the EP with a Breakbeat Electronica piece that features vulnerable-feeling vocals deeply contrasted by a highly resonant analog synth layered over an ill drum beat. The illness seems like a representative victory over the touching vocals and accompanying, plaintive, Lo-Fi melodic line.
The press release for this describes the “Unpredictable” EP as a “High energy rhythmic minimal club trax with a little surprise thrown in.” It was easy to doubt the idea of surprises knowing full well what to expect from a label like Truncate who consistently delivers on its promises and creative aesthetic, but if you have a listen, there are definitely some divergences from the norm. “Analog 9” has straightforward beats mixed with raving face hypnotic elements as well as “Breaking Up Inside” with its complete 180 on the Truncate sound, becoming more endearing and personal the more you listen to it.
-Sean Ocean
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