James Ruskin - Sabre

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  • While "techno" seems to have been the word on the street over the past year or so, the level to which this "techno" has rang true is dubious. With so much weak, uprooted music around being labelled as such, there are only a few places you can go to hear the truly vibrant, interesting and powerful tunes. One artist that has rarely not brought the goods is James Ruskin. Following his release under the O/V/R guise with Karl O'Connor, Ruskin returns on his own here with two cuts of solid, dark techno purism. Sabre may not carry such abrasive vibes as the O/V/R work or previous Blueprint releases, but it maintains all the underground edge, energy and creativity Ruskin is renowned for. "Sabre" brings the gentle hovering of a light sabre and tangled, electrified communications panning around your head. The start to the track is dark. Really dark. After a couple of minutes the sub-driven kick is introduced and the tangled sound slowly starts to form patterns. Shortly after his subtle hats enter the frame, Ruskin gives us a minute of a respite—further tangling the sound—and when the kick is reintroduced, it's defined and the groove has an even deeper swing. The way Ruskin uses the metallic, tangled sounds to create and push the arrangement gives "Sabre" edge and menace, while balancing the track perfectly. On the B, "Massk" gets straight down to business with the heavy sub kick creating a steady wall of sound as the atmospheric elements are gradually painted in. The landscape is the same distant and unfamiliar territories, but the emphasis here is firmly in the groove. "Massk" comes alive late when Ruskin strips the channels and launches into pure techno mode. It's hard to imagine you'll be hearing this at any old club any time soon. You'll most likely have to wait for those rare occasions when a techno master such as Ruskin, Hood or Simms comes to a club near you. In the wrong hands—or on the wrong sound system—this kind of music is wasted.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Sabre B1 Massk
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