- Seth Troxler and The Martinez Brothers' Tuskegee Music has been on a rocky road since launching in 2014, releasing a handful of bangers and a few duds. And where they are with the whole "label of cultural heritage" plan isn't clear—the last two EPs have come from Bas Ibellini and Butch, two artists with no ties to America, let alone the African-American or Hispanic experience. The label's eighth release, a four-tracker from Donnell Knox, AKA D-Knox, gets back to its stated aim but does little to boost the label's musical reputation.
Like Troxler, Knox is from Kalamazoo, Michigan, a US city situated equidistant from Detroit and Chicago. He wears the Motor City's influences most readily, with more than 25 techno 12-inches to his name since 1995. His sound has always been Detroit through and through—simple sound design, spacey synths, raw hardware feel. "All Energy" and "Fornicate" are drab examples of this blueprint; the latter's jagged lead synths are particularly jarring.
"Chosen Goals" isn't much better. A cacophony of whistles, organs and gruff vocals, it shows what happens with too many elements and not enough ideas in the mix. The only saving grace is "Intentions," a slice of emotional techno that benefits from a slightly understated arrangement and a nice synth flickering at the end of each bar.
TracklistA1 All Energy
A2 Fornicate
B1 Chosen Goals
B2 Intentions