Squares

Squares

Sten [Smallville Records]

21 March, 2008 | 8.40AM

• Section: Music Recommendations
• Written by: Richard Brophy 2

It’s fair to say that 2007 pretty much belonged to Dial.

The small Hamburg label put out two of last year’s best albums, by Efdemin and Pantha Du Prince, so will its sub-label, Smallville Records, emulate it in 2008?

Judging on this latest missive, by Sten aka label owner Lawrence, Smallville could well scale the same dizzy heights — but rest assured that it’ll do so on its own terms.

Like Dial’s approach, the art of subtlety reinventing classic techno and house music is at the forefront here.

All three installments of ‘Squares’ are based on Detroit techno structures and in particular Derrick May and Carl Craig’s early 1990s releases.

On the Original version, wispy chords gently lap against a metallic rhythmic framework forged from hissing hats and tight snares.

Meanwhile, Part 2 features more sensuous, full-blooded melodies and airy riffs hanging in the air as a plunging bass and a more restrained version of the build-up drums used on ‘The Dance’ push the track to a subtle climax.

Part 3 is more stripped back and acts as a moodier counterpoint to the preceding musical tracks, but the mysterious Pscyhe-style rhythms means it doesn’t descend into bland minimal mush.

‘Squares’ may not win a prize for originality, but deserves praise for lovingly pushing techno’s past forward.

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