- It's not very often that you see a 7-inch techno record, save for the Kreisel 99 project that ended its run more than a decade ago. Only a certain type of person would think to miniaturize an EP with such massive-sized tracks on it. With two solo productions from the Fever Ray production duo of Van Rivers and The Subliminal Kid, though, the resulting sonic achievements make up for the small stature of their pressing.
"Wood Sequence" from Van Rivers is a relatively straightforward techno cut that would certainly fit in well with the Prologues and Ostguts of the world. Stripped, harsh, aggressive and metallic, the A-side is a beast aimed squarely at the Berghain audience while retaining the hypnotic funk of the minimal world. It bears a little resemblance to the recent release on SD Records, but similarities aside, this small dog has a large bite.
On the flip, The Subliminal Kid goes a dramatically different direction than his partner with "Upp/Ner," a immersive shuffle track that seems slightly out of step with current trends, but easily stands out for its fantastic production value and overall original feel. It makes for a perfect segue in to the bizarre, allowing any audience to get weird as soon as they pick their recently warped brains up off the floor upon completion of this one.
Tracklist A Van Rivers - Wood Sequence
B The Subliminal Kid - Upp/Ner