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| Release date is in June 2014 |
“Paris / Berlin” descends to places where the strobe lumens are in stark contrast to surrounding darkness. This is techno underground, researched and explained in recent one-hour documentary “Paris / Berlin” by Amélie Ravalec, a French film maker and scene activist. She runs with Gregorio Sicurezza the label Fondation Sonore, a preservation society of harder sounds, launched with thundering split EP by Kareem and Ancient Methods.
The beats of “Paris / Berlin” are now brought out as gatefold double LP. As the soundtrack of a retrospective film, the compilation features mostly previously released tracks from 1999 to 2012. However it’s a telling snapshot of industrial techno’s past and present, starting with nocturnal jab by Ancient Methods (“Fourth Method”) while Regis goes by Downwards manual in “Baptism”, a monotone banger with panicking vocal loop. Rodz-Konez frontman Makaton drops bombastic rave villain “Coup De Grace” from a 2007 EP while the Latvian artist Oyaarss fuses hardened electronica, brutal kicks and lyrically whispering elves in “Smaida Greizi Nākamība” (“Future Smile Soon”), the title track from the 2012 album on Ad Noiseam.
“Unknown” by DnA, a project of Ravalec and Dax J, is exclusive to this compilation and taps to the overall gloomy atmosphere. Adam X‘s EBM-inspired “Robot Rebellion in 2071” reflects the industrial past of the New York native and current Berlin resident. The hardest part arrives with the Swedes Archae & Grovskopa who demolish it like true disciples of PCP’s special squad with thundering “Surface Tension”. The final scalp is taken by Kareem, recalling the heyday of Zhark Recordings with militantly throbbing “Black September”.
The compilation’s BPM rates are mostly well above 130, partly hitting the realms of vintage hardcore slammers while keeping the groove for floor functionality.