- Matt Tolfrey’s Leftroom Records is now one of the main UK exporters of minimal and micro techno, and its latest release definitely gives the genre a bit of a shake. Marc Ashken is a newcomer, but he’s very talented: both his debut on Perc Trax (‘Bus Driver’) and the follow up on Safari Electronique (‘Acinom EP’) were impressive minimal records, and his live PAs are worth checking too – many Londoners will remember fondly his recent performance at the T-Bar.
On this occasion, Ashken returns to Leftroom with a creative blend of bleeps and ticks, definitely not your usual dose of techno. On the A side, ‘Nimrod’ sets a cracking pace; it’s a disturbing track filled with cutting basslines and samples – bouncy, but dark enough for those wee hours of the morning. Marc Houle from M_nus follows on with his own interpretation, and it’s got the same energy and stomp as the original with stripped down snares waltzing through guitar riffs and melody-laden breakdowns. Ashken’s original is fine, but Houle inserts a key extra ingredient on his rethink with drops of acid seeping into every corner.
On the flip, Ashken’s ‘Roots Dyed Dark’ is a bit of extra satisfaction, kicking off with his trademark basslines and electrifying snares before slowly progressing and breaking into a polyrhythmic affair of distorted patterns. This track serves its purpose well - heart-stopping techno at its best.
Ashken’s ‘Two Left EP’ is positive proof that minimal techno hasn’t faded in the least; Creative and experimental, both ‘Roots Dyed Dark’ and ‘Nimrod’ transcend the archetype and shed new light over the genre.
Lista de sequência de músicasA1. Nimrid Audio
A2. Nimrod (Marc Houle Is A Nimrod Remix)
B1. Roots Dyed Dark
B2. Roots Dyed Dark Beats Edit