- Midnight Shift's new three-part white label series, SHIFT LTD, is reserved for "straight-up techno," which might make Xhin seem like an odd choice. His early records on Stroboscopic Artefacts were fidgety and dense, drawing from classic IDM more than typical dance floor techno. But the first SHIFT LTD release—part of a recent surge in activity from Xhin, accompanied by his new releases as NIHX—indeed sees him in straight-up techno mode, though what that means in Xhin’s case is still more dazzling than most.
The first two tracks on SHIFT LTD 001 feature uncharacteristically linear kick drums for Xhin, but what goes on between them will catch your ear. He whips up a synth that resembles liquid mercury. The sound design on "Time Spiral" and "Heed" is illusory and slippery, a style only increased by heavy delay effects, which make it sound like the melodies are sliding around the beats.
Xhin returns to the IDM-informed techno of his past on the B-side. "Fading Inward," with its glitchy drums and vibrant synth streaks, has a whiff of Warp's Artificial Intelligence series, while the more relaxed "Transitory"—all trifling drums and cosmic synth sweeps—is one of Xhin's most lush and welcoming tunes. If this is Midnight Shift's idea of straight-up techno then they paint an expansive and open-minded picture of it.
TracklistA1 Time Spiral
A2 Heed
B1 Fading Inward
B2 Transitory