Label
White label
TESTPRESSING3
- Even techno artists aren't above a bit of make-believe. Try this one on for size: a series of mysterious records surface in shops like Clone, Rush Hour and Hard Wax. The artist's name is T.B. Arthur, and the records look like test pressings—re-presses, we're told, of real test pressings found in a warehouse somewhere. "The recordings were made in the '90s, but never made it past the test pressing stage due to financial issues. The artist was an unknown, owed people money and completely dropped out of the scene." That info came from a press release—T.B. Arthur, whoever he is or was, now has a publicity campaign pushing his music. He also has a Facebook page and a music video. But what the hoax lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in flair: call the US number on the record and you get a voicemail box saying, "this is Test Pressing Chicago, and you are currently listening to a previously unreleased recording by T.B. Arthur…"
But let's not get too distracted. The important thing is that T.B. Arthur's "test pressings" have been fantastic so far, and the third, which dropped last month, is no exception. All four tracks are raw acid-not-acid with heavy, loping rhythms that clock in somewhere below 120 BPM. The sound design is excellent throughout, drawing from an alien palette that colors the drums as well as the odd flourishes surrounding them, most of which defy verbal description. Though fairly utilitarian, these tracks are slamming, texturally rich and loaded with offbeat personality. Whoever T.B. Arthur is, he's got some great material up his sleeve.
TracklistA1 Untitled
A2 Untitled
B1 Untitled
B2 Untitled