I’m always trying to stay open minded, but sometimes find it hard to connect with a lot of the music that I check out, using a well trained DJ ear and making near enough instant decisions on whether it suits my fairly selective taste. Perm proves to me that forever digging is still a valuable pastime, and to always expect the unexpected. You never know what is around the corner, and this crazy release caught me completely out of leftfield to much my delight.
Blurring the lines of techno with some hardened experimental and electronica spirit, the fourteenth release on Dresden imprint shtum boasts four original tracks, each with a stoic focus and crisp idea of indentity.
“03-VIII” seems to have a cheeky wink to a well known UK game show. Pinging a spritely soft hook over ethereal textures and subdued, dubby beat, it caresses my imagination.
Second up is “03-IV” that uses an awkward and quirky combination of what appears to be steel drums with effects, whilst playing with an organic feel and subtle progressions to stay vibrant and attractive. The haunting drones drop in and out of listening focus, succeeding in delivering a totally twisted fantasy world.
Once again, “03-III” shows a pattern to Perm’s work, forming sparse and dreamlike impressions that influence mood and relax the soul. The prolonged ride to six minutes when the extra shuffling shaker is introduced reveals satisfaction at its best.
The final track “03-VI” is the most aggressive of the bunch. Soaring edgy synths and an abstract kick pattern make this one extremely interesting, bordering on some new age electro funk, it adds another piece to this complex puzzle.
Modern composition at its finest, magnificently honest and ultimately restrained from any eccentricity, all the while instilled between the pages are functional, club worthy jams.
- Reviewed by Jack! Who? for deathtechno.com
