- Ryan James Ford knows the value of subtlety. It's a quality that has taken him very far very fast: after moving from Calgary to Berlin, he quickly found a fan in Marcel Dettmann. Enough has been said about what Dettmann sees in Ford, so let's talk about why his music resonates so strongly: he makes rock-solid techno with a surprisingly gentle core. You could hear that in the breathy chords of "Arco Pitcairn," or any number of the near-beatless tracks he's made, which hold their own in a club despite a lack of kick drums.
Stone Mountain Red is the first release on Ford's SHUT label, and at first it seems more straightforward than its predecessors. But the devil's in the details. "Kirra Rengo" might have a steamroller kick drum, but the bassline and lead synth roll around its contours gracefully, while submerged snares add a hint of atmosphere. A beautiful two-chord progression and an early breakdown offsets the gut-punch of "Erand Dirk," turning it into an IDM daydream. "Lazore Thout" features impish drum programming that tugs the track in different directions without interrupting its momentum.
Those tracks are utilitarian but striking, but it's the final, beatless track that shows his unique talent. Like the tune that introduced him, "Eiliat Tirrayl" practically floats by, while the percussion sounds like it was recorded through a wall. The real star is the chords, the bright icy synths that feel as grandiose as any techno anthem. On Stone Mountain Red, Ford manages to inject distinctive traits into straight-up techno.
TracklistA1 Kirra Rengo
A2 Erand Dirk
B1 Lazore Thout
B2 Eiliat Tirrayl