- If you follow techno in all its shapes and forms then there's a fair chance that you'll own a record by Fabrice Lig, penned either under his own name or one of his many guises. Lauded for his excursions into the upliflting and soulful side of the genre, Lig’s sound fits in perfectly with the Detroit blueprint of emotive, lush melodies crafted to move feet and feed the mind. He gained the ultimate recognition from his peers in 1998 when he was asked to remix 'Banjo' by E-Dancer, and it's as Mauler that Fabrice has chosen to showcase his awareness of the current state of play regarding jacking old school analogue techno.
'Hybrid' would make a great set opener. Bookended by a crackly voice sample, it kicks off with funky drums set against a warm backdrop. Lig has more than a casual interest in classic Detroit, and this influence soon comes to the fore as the intro builds simply but very effectively. Toms, cymbals and a distilled melodic stab gather to fill the air as the galloping back beat keeps the impetus firmly on the floor. There's an analogue feel to this track which only adds to its impressive funk credentials. A producer as obviously talented as Lig can turn his hand to almost anything, and while holding no surprises, ‘Hybrid’ moves in all the right directions.
'Micro Ballad' is an altogether more reserved affair. A gently undulating percussive ride, there’s a very low-fi synth line that gives it a comic touch, and a melody that spirals into infinity with the help of a simple filter. It lacks the immediacy of 'Hybrid' and ends up sounding self-indulgent.
So two very different tracks then. One for the floor, the other for the floatation tank. and that's the problem. Two tracks up to the standard of "Hybrid' would have made a more reasonable package. Lig has produced much better ethereal techno than ‘Micro Ballad’, notably as Soul Designer for F-Com, and it would have been nice to have heard something of a similar standard on the b-side.
TracklistA Hybrid
B Micro Ballad