Emerging German artist Elias. joins the roster of Berlin & Dresden-based imprint “made of CONCRETE” with the Dust Collector EP.
Rebar’s label made of CONCRETE has consistently delivered atmospheric experimental techno with depth and texture since 2015. This time around are four cuts from Berlin producer Elias., who has previous releases on Hayes, Platform22, and Shlomi Aber’s Be As One.
Being unfamiliar with an artist’s sound provides a welcome palette from which to experience something new. Diving in with a fresh, clean slate, “Dust Collector” the title track begins with an extremely deep, minimal groove, while a syncopated moog-like arp winds its slow, sinuous path through a moody space. Expectant hollow pads underscore the soul in this number. “Dust Collector” steadily pumps with controlled environment, the lead synth creating an entire world with its echoing, filtering tail. The pads repeat their mournful reprise, as the kick beats forward, classic 909 hats keeping time til the end.
Unsurprisingly, “Aggregate” is even moodier and deeper. A “Second Hand Satellites”-esque synth riff is introduced and begins its hypnotic journey. By the time the kick drum is fully discerned, this cut has morphed into a slow, mind-altering deep roller. In a subtle call and response, another far away synth echoes like a depth charge in a miles long cavern. Static and hiss create more texture in the foreground, as another classic hi-hat holds down the clock in minimalist fashion, hypnotizing the senses further, as the snare slowly pans left to right.
Such a textured word, “Corrosion.” A proto beat cuts through an ambient pad, morphing into a breakbeat. The ambience evolves and opens into a filtering swirl, circling the beat like an orbit. The track opens up into a beautiful liquid breaks type tune, existing somewhere between drum&bass and downtempo. The flavors are pretty, lush, soulful, and connected, reminiscent of 90s era Quango Records vibes, leaving me feeling refreshed. Which brings us back to the name…ironic, perhaps, but oh so beautiful.
Seminal Toronto producer Jeremy P Caulfield provides the flip to “Dust Collector.” Known for his label Dumb Unit and for releasing artists like Avatism and Maetrik, he is a veteran of the 90s techno scene who later moved to Berlin and toured the world. After the gentleness of “Corrosion”, when the kick drum drops in, the immediate counterpoint plays very well. There is still depth, but the clean, warehousey 909 kick provides the punchy techno pulse we’ve been waiting for, a perfect complement to this release. A shiny distorted arp drops in taking the production to spacey territory, as it rotates slowly in stereo. A synth string adds a hint of mystery, accented by cleverly filtered claps and percussion throughout. His subtle control of tension and release is masterful, the track rolling to a satisfying finish.
-Nicolaas Black
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