The Russian-born, now Spain-based Lidvall continues pushing forward with four hard and gritty cuts made to satisfy the discerning dance floor and the Hard Techno ravers among us with his premier release on Joton’s Newrhythmic label with an EP titled, “Dogma”.
Lidvall has been making a name for himself recently with a signature sound that really focuses on the distressed and saturated sounds of Techno and which has been noticed by Faut Section, Kazerne, Nachtstrom Schallplatten, and now of course, Joton’s New Rhythmic.
The reason tracks like these stand out above the rest is foremost in the energy, the simplicity, the heavy compression, the blunted THC-laced grooves, and the gritty textures at work. This style is particularly evident in the title track, “Dogma,” where the lead synth is absolutely smashed, and the element’s slow modulation, contrasted with the energy in the top end, leads you to think a lot is going on. Still, there’s a lot of subtle care at play within every element. While the track is straightforward and elegantly stated, it’s hard as nails and would not be out of place coming out of a Hard Techno set, or as a peak-time weapon to get the crowd going.
The other tracks on this release, “Failed” and “Need More Patience,” both focus on this ‘blown-out’ distortion and guitar amp quality that contains most of the grit and substance, functioning to bond each of the tracks as a stylistic approach. But it’s their compressed nature with this tight and slow grinding movement that makes for a very stony-sounding pair of tracks, which any Indica fan is sure to love.
“Serotonin Deficiency” closes us out on the release with an off-kilter Broken Techno style. The Broken Techno concept has been around for a while, but when used as a delivery method for feelings of uneasiness, it’s a fresh concept. The feeling of unease in the track is definitely highlighted by a dissonant carry during the breaks as well as the near-constant use of a phaser that doesn’t seem to land on time within the track with any particular element. The entirety of the track just leaves you feeling kind of sketched out. As a conceptual track, it certainly works, but as a way to create a sense of ultimate tension in a set, this track will properly wind up an audience.
As the release notes had said, we’ve been listening to Lidvall’s music for some time, and each time it’s a particularly dope musical exploration. There’s a desire by the artist to express an idea that appeals to the chin-stroking Techno heads, but also the artist is not afraid to cut loose and drop a proper banger. The ideas within each track are well thought out and cleverly executed with just the right amount of balance in their design. And it’s all wrapped up in a subdued psychedelic manner. Lots to love on this “Dogma” release. Do spend the time to get your head properly buried in the speaker with this one.
-Sean Ocean
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