Tetsuo - Gabber DNA/ Empty Warehouse mix [Self Release - 2019]Here’s a 3inc CDR from Tetsuo- one of the more recent, and still (I think) active project from French noisemaker Julien Skrobek ( Ghost, Gesis, Ruine, Sumbru & many other projects) who has dwelled in, and skirted the wall noise scene since 2011. As far as I can gather this is the projects second release after their Eternal Respect 2019 full-length debut. Gabber DNA/ Empty Warehouse mix has only vague connections with the wall-noise genre- as the two tracks utilize elements of fixed rhythmic bass chops, with layers of textured noise and often very piecing sine wave sweeps. I guess you could really see this release as an experimental focused version of the club single, as we have the lead track, and it’s remixed/ altered version. The CDR is presented in a black & white paper sleeve, with a see-through slip. The front cover takes in a picture of two lots of cables in two boxes, and on the back, we get the track listings, and set-ups for both tracks. I’m not sure if this is still in print or available or not…
The whole release comes in at the seventeen and a half minute mark, with each track falling spot on the eight-minute forty five second mark. First up we have the original version of the track "Gabber DNA"- this is a decidedly tense & airless blend of constantly stabbing rapid bass line, looped sine wave & hazed ringing synth textured chops. If you can imagine sitting outside a club in the early hours of the morning as a rave still goes on inside- cigarette smoke is slowly curling out of the lips, and you’re experiencing sour come mixed with encroaching tinnitus…then you’ll get an idea of the track.
The second track is "Gabber DNA (Empty Warehouse mix)", and here the stabbing bass line is muffled, blunted, and all but scarped-out. And we’re left with slightly waving circulating haze of curved electro drone, smeared sine wave smart, and an even more airless production. If the first track found you slumped outside a club, this sees you passed out, but still somehow tense- as the pupils twitching beneath your greyed tightly locked eyelids.
In conclusion, this 3inc certainly pushes the taut & tensely souring electro sound-scaping of Eternal Respect to new airless & claustrophobic heights. It’s certainly not a release for any kind of hang-over, or if you feel in any way mentally tender- but as head swarming & teeth gritting excise intense electro noise making, it’s worthy....I wanted to give this 2 & a 1/2 mark, but as we only do full marks, it's got a 2. Roger Batty
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