- Australian producer Vohkinne, real name Craig McWhinney, runs a label that pushes Berghain-style techno from afar. Atrophic Society's output mostly consists of heavy, propulsive machine music from McWhinney and Brendon Moeller, often with remixes by artists who surely serve as inspiration for the label's sound: Tripeo, Ben Sims, Patrik Skoog. On Atrophic Society's sixth release, ASVA, the two regular producers are joined by DJ Spider and Berlin-based Australian Material Object. For functional purposes, these four dark tracks are nothing short of an arsenal.
Each artist operates in a bleak space, mostly focused on peak-time sounds. DJ Spider's "Necro Nebula" is an exception, an anxious grind of bells and frayed textures that falls on the New Yorker's more unsettling side. The rest of ASVA features pure, if somewhat conventional, techno. As Echologist, Moeller's "Splatter Ballistics Cop" is a brooding, atmospheric track, built on intricate percussion, groaning pads and a sonar blip that belongs deep in the ocean. Material Object's "Wipe Out" is similarly submerged but a tad cleaner, with a ricocheting lead sequence that builds into the record's most paralyzing high. Vohkinne's "Null," the closer, is a raw techno assault that hammers mean drums through an eruption of scorched hats and noise. Overall, ASVA isn't a surprising showcase, but all four tracks pack power.
TracklistA1 Echologist - Splatter Ballistics Cop
A2 DJ Spider - Necro Nebula
B1 Material Object - Wipe Out
B2 Vohkinne - Null