- Gritty, powerful techno with a spellbinding remix from Wata Igarashi.
- It's been years since Aurora Halal released a solo EP. 2015's Shapeshifter was a mellow, polished take on spacey US techno with beautiful but restrained results. Back then, she was primarily known for her Brooklyn-based party series Mutual Dreaming and Sustain-Release, the annual festival she organises in New York State. She's since outgrown her reputation as an outsider to become an internationally renowned techno DJ specialising in hypnotic, psychedelic sounds. When interviewed for her RA podcast earlier this year, she remarked that DJing, above production and promotion, had "taken the lead… Playing regularly at Berghain, De School and Nowadays has been a big part of my journey as an artist."
The artistic growth that comes from regularly playing to big dance floors can also be heard in her productions, so there's a new confidence and conviction to Liquiddity. As always, the music is moody and melodic, and also gritty and impactful. As if designed with the casual listener (as well as DJs) in mind, there's a satisfying progression. The opening two tracks are heady and building, featuring smooth yet angular acid lines that bring Tin Man to mind. "Nasty II," whose intro follows on directly from the end of the previous track, is perfectly crafted for large, dark, sweaty rooms. The combination of alien melodies, rolling breaks, claps and sirens sounds like it would be overwhelming, but there's a balance and control to the production.
"Eternal Blue" is trippier, before another in-form psychedelic techno master, Wata Igarashi, delivers the deathblow. If you've heard him play out recently (or if you've listened to his Truancy mix), you may have heard his "Crossing Remix" of "Eternal Blue," a churning, arpeggiated monster that's one of his most intense and powerful tracks yet. It's a clear highlight and will probably—and deservedly—get the most attention, but this EP has no weak moments.
TracklistA1 Liquiddity
A2 Fattal 22
A3 Nasty Ii
B1 Eternal Blue
B2 Eternal Blue (Wata Igarashi Crossing Remix)