- Active since the early '90s, Dietrich Schoenemann lived the gritty New York dance history that The Corner label references. His production career continued into the minimal years, and he now works as a mastering engineer (with The Corner among his clients). But his '90s-era techno—energetic, trippy, often pretty aggressive—sounds more current now than it has at any time since it was produced. 9 Clicks, a collection of tracks that have languished on DATs for years, is the proof. This is strange, menacing techno, hard when it needs to be and weird in all right places. It could have been made last week.
"Clicks" is the most energetic, quick-stepping along in the high 130s. Scratchy hi-hats and acrid piano chords seem to be constantly skipping free of the bassline snarl beneath them. Occasionally it all stops for a booming electro breakdown, before picking up the chase again. "Fallen" is caustic electro, its synth and voice stabs throbbing like an infected wound. "10Connet"'s atonal synth loops could be Jeff Mills-style brain melting, if the whole thing had a bit more pace. Schoenemann takes the patient approach, bleeding in bongo syncopations and eardrum-tickling high-end for a disorientating climax. Closer "Reboot" demonstrates that Schoenemann can do "deep" with just as much flair. This is tribal techno for the comedown, with gorgeous synth pads wandering thoughtfully across the frequency spectrum before stealing into the night.
TracklistA1 Clicks
A2 Fallen
B1 10Connet
B2 Reboat