Not so long ago, my good friend said: “Techno comes in so many forms. I like how it links up with my other tastes.”
I have to agree with this statement, because with Techno you can blend almost every aspect from other music. It is like a beautiful machine that let’s you improvise and create your own structure - sky is the limit. Of course it needs skill to operate such a delicate mechanism, and Bosh is definitely a person who can handle it. His EP - Substantia Nigra on Canada’s quality Subspec Music is proof of what you can do with Techno, if… you are skilful enough.
First, “Substantia Nigra” original mix is something I would call a “mechanical jungle.” It’s really tribal, a bit mystical I would dare to say, but still it’s a proper Techno. The primal feel is creating an atmosphere that takes us somewhere else, it lets us to be free almost. You would never expect such a thing, especially that this track is pretty minimalistic in its form, yet it grabs attention. Brendon Moeller however saw it a bit different, his remix is much more hypnotic and driving, it creates a contrast between a primal version and hypnotic one. Pretty trippy I must say, in a form that lets you melt completely in music and believe me, you would never expect such a thing from Techno. As Brendon’s alter ego Echologist he sucessfully created something that I would call my personal favourite - dark and sexy mood. It’s so dark and minimalistic, yet so powerful that you can’t miss it. I would really like to hear it in some video game, because the atmosphere of it is absolutely outstanding.
Suddenely we have a shift into “The Hypocrisy of Consciousness.” This part is really, really tricky because we are talking about Techno, and what we can hear in this track is pretty melodic, almost balearic in structure. Is something wrong? No. This is Techno, you can create it however you want - that’s the beauty. The Hypocrisy of Consciousness along with its remixes is a great contrast to Substantia Nigra. The aptly titled “DJ ESP Woody McBride Irony of Consciousness Remix” has something distinctive and magical, especially with that amazing acid line. It has that dreamy feel, where you just want to close your eyes and cut off from the world. JGarrett on the other hand brings us an ecclectic and energetic piece of music.
With “Believing in a Contradiction,” we are back on track. That calm and reflective mood is now changed into anxious anticipation, which is a good thing, because it does not make you a passive listener. The track is evolving grabbing your attention, like it wants to tell you something important and give you a message.
Substantia Nigra is an amazing complation of different aspects of Techno. It’s a definite journey from tribal, hypnotic areas to mellow and soothing rhythms. If you listen carefully, you can hear a story behind it.
I have respect for Techno producers who are breaking the boundaries and are experimenting with a genre and this EP has the whole spectrum of it.
- Reviewed by Filip Zwirek for deathtechno.com
