- "Form is temporary, class is permanent", as they say in sports, and Gerald Mitchell has class. Responsible for some of the grooviest soul-drenched moments in Detroit techno of the last ten years, like many artists from his hometown he's never hogged the limelight, preferring instead to play the silent partner to a host of aliases and disappear inside collaborations, notably Los Hermanos.
'Out the Boat' is a lush piece of work, embodying everything good about Detroit techno to the point of cliché but still having enough sophistication to set it apart from the rabble. It's subtitled ‘Gospo Tech’, which is a style Mitchell is currently working on with his "older brothers", apparently – "Gospo Tech" seems to be melodic Detroit techno with added dollops of soul in the shape of backing vocals and a preacher-like voice on inspirational form. Does it work? Is the Pope a Catholic?
'Resident Warrior', on the other hand, is much more abrasive. Stark metallic beats rub up against the void expanding and contracting while a tough kick drives things along to some sharp handclaps. As ever with proper techno it's all about the little details. Rimshots skip along punctuated by an aqueous bass and then the strings take over raising the tune to new heights. Unlike the more straight up Detroit techno soul of 'Out the Boat' this one's all about the delicate use of texture and when the kick reappears things really take off.
A great double-header that shows that Mitchell's eye for detail shows no signs of being on the wane. He's the type of producer that seems to be able to knock out stuff like this in his sleep and long may it continue. This doesn't break any new ground, but it's top-notch stuff from a sincere artist.
TracklistA Out the Boat (Gospo Tech)
B Resident Warrior