- A titan of Detroit returns with aerodynamic techno that shows off his controlled abandon and technical mastery.
- Eric Dulan, AKA DJ Bone, is a risk-taker. His discipline, curiosity and Detroit upbringing have fuelled a lifelong quest for technical experimentation, resulting in transcendent DJ sets and productions. Known for his three-deck wizardry, he's a beast behind the turntables, using hip-hop techniques like cutting and scratching over house, techno and electro. In the studio, his futuristic sound captures the timelessness and diversity of Motor City techno, drawing on everything from beatless ambient ("Techno Ain't Techno" off his 2018 LP Beyond) to free jazz drumming ("The Chase" from the same year).
On his first album since Beyond, Dulan indulges his adventurous side with panache. FURTHER—which is the final instalment in both his Beyond album trilogy and his 25-year-old Subject Detroit label—boldly plays with pace, tempo and emotion, but not in a flashy way. There are lots of powerful elements (bellicose drums, weighty basslines, kaleidoscopic synths) and each one is deftly tailored into clean, structured patterns. In the world of haute couture, FURTHER would be a Balmain–ferocity and opulence delivered in a sleek, elegant silhouette.
The 12-track LP, named after Dulan's Amsterdam party series at RADION, is rooted in his signature style of tracky techno built around funky, hypnotic grooves. But just like his DJing, it's full of surprises, like industrial droning, jazzy interludes or the frenetic build-ups of tribal drumming (as heard on "Our Cosmic BBQ"). These unexpected sounds emerge swiftly and fluidly, like a sudden, plunging drop on a rollercoaster ride.
On "Predestination Paradox," a warbled, accordion-sounding synth pops up seemingly out of nowhere. It feels almost folksy, as if plucked from a Scottish ballad, adding a whimsical touch to the deep and spacey techno number. "The Standard" incorporates a solemn, organ-like melody on top of a springy bassline. It's a stark contrast between the former's wistful notes and the escalating current of electricity in the background.
When Dulan's not reaching into his bag of tricks, the veteran artist follows his Detroit peers, past and present, in stretching the shapes of techno. The genre doesn't have to be aggressive to be expressive, he told DJ Mag earlier this year. Cases in point: "Dreamers 6.1" and "Without A Sound" are floaty, downtempo gems with twinkling keys and tight, muffled drumming that follows techno's chuggy energy without a kick drum in sight.
"The Will To Overcome" is a soundtrack for triumphant moments, featuring expansive synth lines and warm piano chords that give off a gentle, uplifting quality despite the militant drum programming in the background. For the purists out there, FURTHER has plenty of classic Detroit techno, too. "Poppa D's Basement," "Now I See" and "Mission Accomplished" are long, winding epics with pulsing claps and retro synths.
Sometimes Dulan's ambitions get the better of him. Two minutes into "Generations," an influx of staticky, droning synths crowd the electro-driven bassline. For the most part, though, FURTHER is a seamless listen, incorporating strategic bursts of joy, wonder and adrenaline that speaks to Dulan's masterful restraint and trained ear—skills he likely acquired from the rigorous DJ prep he put himself through. ("If you could take DJing and put it into a bootcamp scenario, that was me," he told RA in 2018.) Back in the day, he diligently learned to mix various genres and frequencies, overcoming record skips and other possible mistakes. "I had to make it work, I had to be creative," he said.
This tenacity and pursuit of excellence makes FURTHER, and its predecessors, so engaging. "FURTHER is the vessel for my true autonomy," Dulan said in the liner notes. "Whenever you say FURTHER, it doesn’t stop, it never stops." An unpredictable force who remains as hungry as ever to push himself, Dulan reveals a concentrated dose of his shapeshifting techno essence on this album, with plenty more magic coming in the pipeline.
Tracklist01. Generations
02. The Will To Overcome
03. Poppa D's Basement
04. Predestination Paradox
05. The Standard
06. Our Cosmic BBQ
07. Without A Sound
08. Dreamers 6.1
09. Mission Accomplished
10. Exorcising Ghosts From The Past
11. Celestial Circuits
12. Now I See