Contrary to popular belief, most people in the minimal house world don't play much minimal. This is especially true of Binh Nguyen and Onur Özer, two Berlin stalwarts that make music, throw parties and DJ together as Treatment. Catch a set from either of them and you'll probably hear more techno and electro than house, albeit connected by the same heavy swing and sense of groove that characterises the sound of top-tier peers like Zip and Nicolas Lutz.
Until now, though, Nguyen and Özer's love of throwback electro hasn't been overly present in their solo productions. The former's output has been fully grounded in bass-heavy minimal house, perhaps as a result of his long affiliation with Berlin venue Club Der Visionaere. Özer, on the other hand, has generally favoured functionality over nods to the past, and is perhaps best known for the in-your-face tech house he dished out in the late-'00s. (Given his change of direction, I'd wager he'd rather a lot of those tracks be forgotten.)
As Treatment, the pair have already proven that they care little about what works in the club. Treatment, a mesmerising two-track 12-inch released last year, was about as stripped-back and loopy as house gets these days, and so far hasn't popped up in too many club sets. The debut Treatment album, simply titled LP, wasn't produced with DJs in mind, either. It's electro from start to finish, and a fairly abstract brand of the genre at that. Most of the tracks are atmospheric and dark, matching complex broken beats with murky, occasionally abrasive overtones. The relatively upbeat "B1" and "C2" seem most likely to get rinsed in clubs (anyone who's caught Zip in action recently may have already heard "B1"). Then there's the spacey melancholia of "B2," "D1" and "D2," which offer up the LP's most introspective moments.
Nguyen and Özer's foray into this electro aesthetic seems like a logical step. As record diggers and DJs, they've been immersed in the sound for years now, so it's only natural that it's now fully reflected in their output. When taken as a whole, LP comes across as a patchwork of ideas and sketches, as opposed to a thoroughly cohesive, well-considered work. It's an outcome no doubt influenced by the duo's live, computer-free recording methods, where an intuitive approach is key. Presenting these sketches as an album across two 12-inches is commendable, as Nguyen and Özer are clearly aware that the majority of their followers would welcome more DJ-friendly material with open arms. That they've offered up something more challenging is a risk very few acts in their realm are willing to take. Thankfully, it pays off.
Until now, though, Nguyen and Özer's love of throwback electro hasn't been overly present in their solo productions. The former's output has been fully grounded in bass-heavy minimal house, perhaps as a result of his long affiliation with Berlin venue Club Der Visionaere. Özer, on the other hand, has generally favoured functionality over nods to the past, and is perhaps best known for the in-your-face tech house he dished out in the late-'00s. (Given his change of direction, I'd wager he'd rather a lot of those tracks be forgotten.)
As Treatment, the pair have already proven that they care little about what works in the club. Treatment, a mesmerising two-track 12-inch released last year, was about as stripped-back and loopy as house gets these days, and so far hasn't popped up in too many club sets. The debut Treatment album, simply titled LP, wasn't produced with DJs in mind, either. It's electro from start to finish, and a fairly abstract brand of the genre at that. Most of the tracks are atmospheric and dark, matching complex broken beats with murky, occasionally abrasive overtones. The relatively upbeat "B1" and "C2" seem most likely to get rinsed in clubs (anyone who's caught Zip in action recently may have already heard "B1"). Then there's the spacey melancholia of "B2," "D1" and "D2," which offer up the LP's most introspective moments.
Nguyen and Özer's foray into this electro aesthetic seems like a logical step. As record diggers and DJs, they've been immersed in the sound for years now, so it's only natural that it's now fully reflected in their output. When taken as a whole, LP comes across as a patchwork of ideas and sketches, as opposed to a thoroughly cohesive, well-considered work. It's an outcome no doubt influenced by the duo's live, computer-free recording methods, where an intuitive approach is key. Presenting these sketches as an album across two 12-inches is commendable, as Nguyen and Özer are clearly aware that the majority of their followers would welcome more DJ-friendly material with open arms. That they've offered up something more challenging is a risk very few acts in their realm are willing to take. Thankfully, it pays off.
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Published /
Wed / 2 Dec 2015 -
Words /
Matt Unicomb -
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Tracklist /
A1 Untitled
A2 Untitled
B1 Untitled
B2 Untitled
C1 Untitled
C2 Untitled
C3 Untitled
D1 Untitled
D2 Untitled
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