Markus Suckut - Resist

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  • Markus Suckut and Johannes Heil, who run the label EXILE, don't want you to read too much into their music, because "it can only be translated by [a] listener's ear," they say. "So close your eyes. Don't speak. Don't think. Just listen." In that spirit, you can choose to ignore the protest-themed title and cover art of Suckut's second album, Resist, and dive straight in. Suckut is a spartan producer of techno whose austere sound world comes alive under the microscope. He's a master of groove, too—both these qualities are present on Resist. The album begins with its most elusive track. Resonant bells, looped to trance-inducing infinity, rattle around a sample of a speech about creationism and evolution. Shortly after, the album moves onto what Suckut does best: stark, militant techno, arranged in a way that has you immediately gripped. The precise "Sixth Movement," where every hit and scrape of percussion has its own space in the composition, is among the album's best tracks. Working within a functional framework, Suckut has proven to be a versatile producer. Resist is a better example of this than his previous album, 2013's DNA, for Figure. It's a lot more dynamic, showing a greater range of moods that ultimately makes it more accessible. In other words, you don't have to be "in the mood" for it. Resist's midsection is particularly interesting, heralded by some sliding chord changes that come in halfway through "Fourth Movement." This leads into the murky dub of "Fifth Movement," the standout "Sixth Movement" and the ambient reset of "Seventh Movement." Suckut's marvellous touches—including gong hits that emulate water droplets—halts us in our tracks. Beautiful details such as these give Resist its power. It's music that should be appreciated on its own terms.
  • Tracklist
      01. First Movement 02. Second Movement 03. Third Movement 04. Fourth Movement 05. Fifth Movement 06. Sixth Movement 07. Seventh Movement 08. Eighth Movement 09. Ninth Movement
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