- Big room techno bangers need hooks. Anetha's "Acid Train," the B1 of Anagram's recent Phasing Faces Vol. 1 compilation, has a few. It features the kind of bassline you might've heard on a tech house track from the late '00s, making it too cheesy for some selectors and dance floor gold for others. It's paired with a squiggling synth and a simple drum pattern that gives way to an early breakdown about one-third through—the intensity increases from there. The track builds up once the beat returns, finding a sweet spot where the bassline synchronises with a big snare and a triplet of bleeps. If hands weren't already in the air, they are now.
The rest of the EP is more subdued. Sinfol's "Trembling" is a murky tool with a heaving low-end, claps and a pitched-down vocal. Dävide's "Ono" and Elad Magdasi's "Two Floors" are more sentimental. Their grooves are straightforward, but long synth notes add a melancholic touch absent from the other tracks. All three tunes are solid options for DJs, but it's hard to beat "Acid Train"'s well-crafted intensity. Expect to hear it during the upcoming festival season.
TracklistA1 Sinfol - Trembling
A2 Dävide - Ono
B1 Anetha - Acid Train
B2 Elad Magdasi - Two Floors