Gerald Mitchell & DJ 3000 - Alia

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  • Despite its futurism, modern Detroit techno sometimes sounds like it is reviving the old days. DJ 3000 and his label Motech are no different. His sound is an ethnic one, combining eastern influences (he’s Albanian) with classic techno production, but it’s a much more subtle approach than the tribal techno which we all heard so much of a few years ago. The connection to the old world is apparent in the live feel of the original: snippets of a mysterious female vocal weave in and out of a familiar eastern melody, accompanied by layers of gentle organic rhythms. Unlike Gerald Mitchell’s solo effort 'Bellydancer' which had a more jacking feel, 'Alia' goes at a soft canter, with the aquatic treatment given to the drums adding to the feel. True to form, Gary Martin of Teknotika Records turns in a harder-edged, tribal assault which distorts the eastern riff, pushing it further down on the track, and leaves the drums to carry the workload. Not quite the suspense-building brilliance of his 'Marvellous Night' remix from last year, it's still an effective pulse raiser for that segment of the night where the live drummers march in to intensify the mood. Finally, Perception from UR uses a more mechanical rhythm in his mix, adding variety to the mysticism. This is more an experimental angle on ethnic techno with the original stretched out with reverb and tone bends. This is an interesting release - all of the tracks might be a bit obscure for less brave souls, but more musical techno DJs will find grooves here they can make use of.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Alia (Original Mix) B1 Alia (Gary Martin Remix) B2 Alia (Perception Remix)
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