- Charlie Duff's new Sector series, a trilogy of EPs for Dekmantel, strips his Matrixxman project down to its components. This first one, Sector I: Rhythm, focuses on drums, while the next two will explore "acid" and "polyphony." The American producer's techno has always been referential, jumping between styles and eras with the poise of a knowing pupil, and he's just as chameleonic here.
Rhythm begins strongly with "Process," which feels like a Detroit homage. Full of skittering, hissing drum rolls, it's almost flamboyant, sounding like a Plastikman production. "Mainframe 2.0" and "Instigator" are more in line with Duff's established abilities and attitude. The former is full of playful drum fills that colour between the measures, while the latter, a firm stomp, is the fullest song here. Both are closer to the straight-up techno of recent Matrixxman records. That leaves "Glyph," a simple jack track that leans too heavily on a flanger. Even still, that kind of imagination would have gone a long way on an otherwise dry EP. Rhythm's drum tracks might be fun for DJs to play but they're unlikely to stand out: they don't show why Duff is one of techno's rising stars.
TracklistA1 Process
A2 Mainframe 2.0
B1 Glyph
B2 Instigator