- Returning to the pastoral dwellings of Border Community for his latest 12” emission, Avus has cobbled together a release that foregoes the psychedelic tech-house of his previous outing for the label, 2004’s ‘Real,’ in favor of an approach more concerned with banging your body across the dancefloor than it is with inducing a state of bucolic bliss.
Easing in on a wave of arpeggiated synths haloed with analog warmth and just a dash of reverb, ‘Furry Hat’ immediately locks into the familiar Border Community aesthetic. A doe-eyed trip through unrelenting techno informed by the shoegaze stylings pioneered by My Bloody Valentine, the track’s adventurous sonics may appeal to the indie-tronic crowd, but this is a serious tune perfectly suited to soundtrack a party’s early morning hours. However, the full frontal assault of ‘Spnkr’ on the b-side is another matter entirely. Ranking among the most minimal productions on Border, the track is a bass-obsessed monster comprised of little more than roiling loops of blunted kick patterns and hissing high hats that charge relentlessly forward for a full seven minutes. With nary a melody in sight, Avus gives into his acidic tendencies and lets some spaced LFO sweeps give the track its forward momentum. Put simply, this track is raw business for messy dancefloors.
In true Border Community fashion, both tracks are pared down and reprised as a set of terrific DJ Tools. The ‘Furry Hat (Feedbackappella)’ mix drifts through ambient swells of lush analog feedback, while ‘Spnkr (Acid Paddle Tool)’ reins in the original’s sprawling attack in order to distill a highly effective miniature. All in all, this is yet another expertly crafted release from Border Community and a versatile 12” that offers something for everyone.
TracklistA1 Furry Hat
A2 Furry Hat (Feedbackapella)
B1 SPNKR
B2 SPNKR (Acid Paddle Tool)