- Techno's main mood seems to be dark these days, which makes records like FBK's Eclipse all the more special. Dazzling with soft tones and spacey moods, it's hard to think of a better word than "beautiful" to describe two of its tracks. The kind of tune that could win over the most hardened raver with its chanting vocal hook, "To A Place I Know" is tears-on-the-dance-floor pretty but, thanks to its booming kick, is still compatible with modern techno. It's cleverly arranged, building from a streamlined pump to a euphoric mix of rhythmic vocals, keys and filter effects. This is powerful music that recalls the golden age of Detroit techno, an era where depth and texture were more important than the simple rush of adrenaline.
Claude Young's "Observation Mix" of the title track also blends a space-age aesthetic with touching melodies. There's no kick drum on this one, so the sound is somewhere between Tangerine Dream and classic house. Rightly given a full side of vinyl, it's the best ambient track I've heard on a techno EP for a while. "Eclipse" is the record's only in-your-face moment, a claustrophobic blend of bleeps and oscillating synths that rounds out an EP that reminds us that techno doesn't need to be dressed in black.
TracklistA1 Eclipse
A2 To A Place I Know
B1 Eclipse (Claude Young's Observation Mix)