- Complex techno that might loosen a few tiles from the ceiling.
- Not all kick drums are created equal. Take the one on "Kounoupi," the second track on ANFS's new EP. Drowned in reverb and with a bottom-end that feels like aftershocks from an earthquake, it feels dangerous, especially once the breakbeats start bubbling underneath. Dynamics and atmosphere are key across the rest of A Shallow Ascetic, ANFS's first EP for Horo. All four tracks sound like he's trying to make the hardest, heaviest techno he can, but with breathing room and carefully layered textures—a rare combination in the world of industrial-influenced techno.
"Dervisis" spaces its kick drums in a broken pattern that keeps the soundscape wide open, while the industrial drums on "Komena" contrast with its rough backdrop, a nuanced wall of sound. Only "Salepsa" goes full-bore into fast, aggro techno, but even there the kick drums feel considered. A Shallow Ascetic isn't for the faint of heart, though it's also not a cheap thrill. This is complex techno that might loosen a few tiles from the ceiling.
TracklistA1 Dervisis
A2 Kounoupi
B1 Salepsa
B2 Komena