Buffalo, New York-based techno experimentalist Mike Parker has been relatively prolific over the past few years, with records and remixes issued on labels like Prologue, Semantica and Avian. Since the late '90s, though, the bulk of his output has come through his own imprint Geophone. GPH18 is Parker's most recent vinyl, and while the range of analog sounds should be familiar to fans, his fluctuating rhythms are as fascinating as ever.
Take the nearly nine-minute long A-side track, Parker's "Autumn Remix" of the club-ready "Give Yourself Up 2 Techno" by Apple Juice featuring Sean Place (both versions were released digitally on Intermission Ltd in late 2011). As is usual with Parker's reworks, it has basically nothing in common with the source material. There are no cymbals, no claps and, crucially, there is no clear separation of measure. Anchored by a lone kick drum, this one is fit to go on without end, relying on the tension created by an irregularly placed burst of noise and long lines of squiggly acidic tracers.
On the flip, two shorter untitled originals work with spiraling riffs that are tied a bit more firmly to the beat. My favorite of the pair is the B2, a hypnotic half-time groove that's both spooky and seductive. Overall, GPH18 shows off a less physically intense side of Parker's style—in comparison to, say, his recent remix for Avian—but these distinctively mind-bending tracks should still prove potent in the hands of more adventurous DJs.
Tracklist: Various - GPH18
A Apple Juice featuring Sean Place - Give Yourself Up 2 Techno (Mike Parker Autumn Remix)
B1 Mike Parker - Untitled
B2 Mike Parker - Untitled
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