Even those of you living in a cave in the last couple of years have heard of Azari & III, the celebrated production duo from Toronto. Best known as their founding member, Alphonse Alixander Lanza III is an old timer with his earliest productions dating back to the raving 90’s.
On GTCM08, Alixander III flies solo and delivers a superb EP that showcases his darker, edgier side. With three origi- nal tracks each more harrowing than the other, III expands and enhances the GTCM signature sound. This here is an EP for discerning DJs who refuse to fall for the clichés of mainstream dance music and who have the confidence to unleash such powerful tracks on the dancefloor.
A1 - Dichtschlamm
I’ve been told Dichtschlamm roughly translates in English as ‘rough sludge’. There’s no wonder why Alixander III chris- tened it so because this is a thick, viscous track. The starting point is a low-end groove woven with futuristic textures and a undeniably sombre vibe. Apparitions from 8bit and acid sound bytes feed off each other for maximum dancefloor torment. From the acid lead, to the twisted synths, pitch-en- veloppe stabs, sleek filter sweeps and that most funky of 808 cowbells, there’s a lot going on here, but thanks to ingenious arranging this is a track that never feels overloaded nor bor- ing. With the apparition of each new element, you know the crowd is going to get even more amped. Think Fritz Lang’s Metropolis filled with Kraftwerk robots that turned out to be brain-hungry zombies.
A2 - Belebtschlamm
Want even more groove than what A1 delivers? Well, Belebt- schlamm stands for ‘activated’ sludge. With a bouncy, round- shaped groove, martial percussion and congas as you’ve never heard them, there is a faint whiff of EBM here, and it interacts perfectly with jackin’ cymbals and snare program- ming. With some pretty wild synthetic freakness in there, this is a track that will not only creep’ em out, it’ll also get the dancefloor to pull some pretty serious moves.
B1 - Schlick
From the first few bars of Schlick, you know that 303 and that 808 mean you’re embarking on an acid trip. But this unique track is far from your standard acid number. Schlick means ‘slit’, and starting with a hypnotic build-up, it’s all about lay- ers of dripping 303 and 808 sounds. Just wait for that 808 kick with its barely legal sub-bass to blow the floor away. This is not acid house, but rather ‘noise acid’ closer to No Fun Acid than DJ Pierre Pfantasy Club. As far as tools go, this one needs to be handled with care, as it will bring utter destruc- tion to the dancefloor if used properly.
B2 - Dichtschlamm
(Hold Youth aka Seuil & Le Loup Remix)
Hold Youth is a dream duo of sorts; it comprises two of Paris’ most revered house heads : Seuil and Le Loup. We are proud to release their first ever collabo- ration, which makes for an extra special remix where sharp percussion contrasts with a remarkable sense of deepness. It’s slow, deep but definitely groovy and sexy as fuck. In other words, nothing short of amaz- ing. Watch out for this one afterhours, it’s bound to cause quite a stir.
Belebtschlamm (Sishi Rosch remix)
Sishi is a brilliant newcomer from Bacelona, and the protégé of GTC artists Darabi. re-interprets Belebt- schlamm with vintage sound design. With a catchy bass line, beautiful chords, reduced drum program- ming (not without old school toms, mind you), vocal hooks and chosen freak nuggets from the original, this is a track that sounds like a forgotten tune from a time before house.
Featuring 10 rising voices in North America’s dance music scene, the new comp from Rare Frequency Transmissions is a high-wattage delight. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 5, 2024
