RA Reviews: Faki & Regal - The End on Figure (Single)

Driving techno with old-school acid licks is Regal's forte, a sound that has taken over his Involve label. The Madrid native has been an affiliate of Figure since his "Report A Crash" was featured on Figure SPC R alongside cuts from Markus Suckut, Lodbrok and Z.I.P.P.O. He left the 303 behind for that one, but more than made up for it with "Monomyth," an eight-minute swell of acid euphoria that opened last year's debut proper, Symbol. Soon afterwards came Regal's Ghetto Kraviz remixes for Rekids, a potent combination that put him on many people's maps.

Figure boss Len Faki, meanwhile, has served up a second round of grinding Basement Trax for Ostgut Ton, while dabbling in deeper, dubbier and more melodious stuff on recent releases for his label. Faki's collab with Regal has naturally gravitated towards that sound. All three tracks on The End are lengthy and wraithlike. "The End" is a sizable minimal trip that evolves sparingly and deliberately to great effect. "Abroad" has a bit more drive behind it and features a milky, opalescent sort of melody, in a similar vein to "The End." "VCO" is much milder and microcosmic in comparison. Almost beatless, it vibrates, thumps and whistles through the air. That stealthy sidestep from Faki and Regal's usual work makes this EP worth the investment.