Ben Klock and Fadi Mohem kick off their new label Layer with collaborative album, “Layer One”.
You have to admire Ben Klock for his taste and consistency over the past few years amidst all the noise—that loud, over the top, brash, aimless noise. Klockworks continues to break new, deserving artists, like Berlin’s Fadi Mohem. So here, we have a new full-length album, and a new label, with Layer Records serving as a collaboration between Ben Klock and Fadi Mohem.
“Layer One” is out for innovation, which is a great place to start for a new label. For Klock, this step away from four-four is certainly a change of pace. It’s not as unfamiliar territory for a Berlin label as one might think, though. There are echoes of Thomas Fehlmann’s “Low Blow” and other classic dub albums… Objekt comes to mind. Even Marcel Dettman dabbles into some of the more UK-leaning leftfield, and there are elements of the Klock-Detmann album “Phantom Studies” here as well.
What makes “Layer One” unique is the approach to the rhythmic aspects. You still have the quality and attention to sounds that you expect from Klock, but in a post-industrial, deconstructed flow. The swing is in the spacing. One thing you can always bet with Ben Klock as well as Fadi Mohem is you will hear a good bit of soul in their tracks. There’s a sense of the ghost in the machine that’s present throughout.
Fadi Mohem, one of the newest Berghain Preferati, always brings a sound that is musical, refined, groovy, addictive, and smooth. There’s an emotional depth at a level that is rare for techno artists, which always shines through even if in subtle, stripped back methods. The vibe is just a bit more complex. LayerOne is more reminiscent of Fadi’s older work with Modeselektor’s label SSPB(Seilscheibenpfeiler Schallplatten), when he was releasing music alongside Stenny, Skee Mask, and FJAAK.
The album is a unique mixture of raw dub, industrial, and ambient sounds and a worthy addition to any record collection for fans of more IDM-leaning techno. The tracks have a pronounced deep bass, heavily distorted percussion, and carefully constructed pads all of which have been textured with care. Throw in a dash of UK with some dope lyrical lines from Flowdan, and you have an album that is hype-worthy and quality. Leaning into the current moment, which has seen more breakbeat and ambient releases, LayerOne stands out for its complexity and presence.
Can’t wait to see what happens with LayerTwo!
-Taylor Harris
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