Rotterdam-based label Reclaim Your City pays tribute to the Benelux Techno connection with its latest split EP “Lightworks” by Sterac and Kr!z.
While there is certainly no shortage of quality Techno labels that can be found in the Netherlands, few can match Reclaim Your City’s roster. With over twenty star-studded EPs dating back to 2014 under their belt, the collective has repeatedly demonstrated that they have their finger on the pulse of the underground and are unifying its champions in a unique way.
Often highlighting the geographic locations of the artists they work with, either in the titles of the releases or in the well-articulated blurbs that describe them, Reclaim Your City regularly brings together two or more artists for a single EP release. Their latest output titled “Lightworks” welcomes back one of their mainstays, Sterac, an alias of Dutch legend Steve Rachmad, and pairs him with Token label head, Kr!z, for an ultramodern exploration of the genre.
Sterac starts off the EP with dazzling melodic cut, “Muff Case.” Crisp percussion and fluid synth lines coalesce into an effortless and effective dance track. Uplifting and pleasantly refined, this track gets the ball rolling. Next is his second cut, “Strike Icer.” Kicking up the pace a few notches, this track follows a similar formula but instead utilizes dubby delays and grandiose filter sweeps to reach a bigger climax.
Next is the far more unnerving cut by Kr!z, titled “Sorcerer.” A dissonant, arpeggiated lead, immediately unsettles you in the best possible way. Darker, but similarly striped-back like the two tracks before it, “Sorcerer” brings us closer to the peak of the party. Last but not least is the tough and gritty title cut, “Lightworks.” A grueling modular lead frequently descends, only to creep back up to its original posture. Frantic snares suddenly emerge around the halfway mark, adding tension that helps to intensify the drop.
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-Jeronimo Watson
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