Trevino - Slide Away

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  • Around 2012, Marcus Kaye made the leap from drum & bass (as Marcus Intalex) to techno (as Trevino), and he landed with both feet on the ground. He quickly appeared on labels like Klockworks, Aus Music and The Nothing Special, earning techno bona fides left and right. On some level, his success boils down to expertise. Kaye has been making dance music of one kind or another since the mid-'90s, so he knows how to build a good tune. That works for and against him on Slide Away, his Hotflush debut. As usual, these tracks are hard to find fault in, but that doesn't mean they're particularly interesting. The A-side has Slide Away's best moments. "Mosaic" feels like Kaye's 2012 Klockworks smash "Forged" turned upside-down. It's got the same rolling riffs, but now they're uplifting, like basement techno with a bright disposition. The title track layers in minor key pads, abstract voices and rustling windchimes à la DJ Sprinkles, a bit of wistfulness on an otherwise functional EP. The B-side doesn't hold up to closer inspection. The skronky basslines of "Desecrate" feel antiseptic, while the dub-inflected "Jungle Love" is disappointingly by-the-numbers. Everything is in the right place and the sound design is top-notch, but its such an aerodynamic track that it slips by unnoticed. DJs will find Slide Away as reliable as ever, but when it comes to sleek modern techno, Trevino's got more interesting records than this.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Slide Away A2 Mosaic B1 Desecrate B2 Jungle Love
RA