- In 2010, René Pawlowitz achieved a golden balance between early UK rave and Berlin techno. The sound of his Power House label was imprinted deep in raver's brains, with records like It's A Love Thing (Piano Invasion) among the most memorable techno 12-inches of the last decade. For dancers getting into techno around this time, Shed's sound is particularly nostalgic. You might have heard "Rave (Dirt Mix)" a million times but it probably still triggers happy memories. The pads and sirens of UK rave were seared into a young Pawlowitz's mind in the same way. He's now able to conjure this sound on demand, delivering hand-stamped white labels with the consistency of a production line. The original version of "The Fall" preceeded the Power House era, but its pad sound appeared in many later Shed productions, becoming his sonic shorthand for dance floor euphoria.
The Fall Remixes are singular concoctions unique to Pawlowitz. But viewed in the context of his discography, it's hard to prise them apart from his other records. The clattering percussion on the A-side has the stumbling quality that both he and A Made Up Sound perfected many moons ago. Although it slams hard, the groove has a weightless, gliding quality that contrasts with the pounding kick and collapsing rhythms. The B-side is more assertive. The high-end is crispier and the groove bounds at a gallop, while the ubiquitous rave pad is chopped and effected into stuttering shapes. As ever, Pawlowitz boils things down to bare necessities, giving these productions a power and clarity most producers can only dream of. He might be able to do it in his sleep, but dance floors won't care a bit.
TracklistA The Fall (Panamax Refix)
B The Fall (Seelow Refix)