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12"
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SNDST 081EP
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Young Italian duo Reform return to Second State Audio with their latest release, four tracks of innovative, hard-hitting, and unusually sophisticated techno. The throbbing kick and trippy synths of "Close Encounters" opens the EP, with a foreign, clipped vocal and breaks-y jungle elements adding further interest and mystique. "Stance", meanwhile, is a straight-up stomper packed with ricocheting percussion, rubbery synth blasts, and disorienting pads, all crying to be heard in a club. "Mind Control" demands to rain down on a crowd at a festival, too. A lean, nimble build steadily escalates into an irresistible, shuffling beat boosted by shifting, bouncy synth patterns and an unrelenting forward momentum. The pair's unusual knack for blending disparate elements into something atypical but completely danceable is perhaps best demonstrated on "Horse Riding". The drums are tribal, the stabs are acid-like, there's a gauzy filter laid over the top, and tickling hi-hats, but also an undeniable thump commanding bodies to move. Put simply, this dream team from Tuscany are making music well beyond their years that stands up beside the work of veterans (and is often more interesting).
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12"
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SNDST 068EP
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Four-track masterclass EP in driving drama built for big rooms -- new release for Pan-Pot's label, Second State Audio. Andrea Gengaroli and Ludovico Bracciali of the Italian duo Reform have only been releasing music since 2016 but they've already made quite the splash in Techno circles, receiving support from the biggest names in the scene. Tensions are running high on their fourth release on Second State, the Quartet EP, following another two releases on Luca Agnelli's Etruria beat label. Quartet is a masterclass in driving drama built for big rooms.
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12"
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ETB 049EP
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Reform, the Tuscan techno duo, make a return to Etruria Beat to follow up the success of 2017's Checkmate EP (ETB 038EP), with a new offering, Unconventional Spaces. Reform present three fresh originals, backed by a massive rework from Etruria boss Luca Agnelli. "Unconventional Spaces" is a melodic and timeless work, perfect for a magic sunrise closing set. Luca delivers a heavier rework. "Just This" is characterized by a raw triple stab, a vocal laid down by the guys themselves and an emotional and mysterious break. "Span" is composed of bouncing tom samples, straight hats, and a Moog-y bass.
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12"
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ETB 038EP
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Reform return to Etruria Beat with a strong new EP called Checkmate, with two remixes from Soma's Charles Fenckler and the Belgian Amelie Lens. "Checkmate" is a melodic track characterized by hypnotic synths, which interchange every time in the arrangement, and dirty, powered drums. Amelie's version is expressed in her style, giving the track some magic with added vocals. "Queen Of Hearts" is dominated by a strong pad, which fills up the mix, blows up in the break, and gives an epic feeling to the ensemble. Charles's remix is techno with no excuses: raw, powerful, and groovy.
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