- Stanislav Tolkachev makes techno like no one else. Sinister and razor-sharp, the Ukrainian producer has released dozens of timeless tunes. Then there's "Yes, Today," the A-side of his first solo vinyl record. This low-key weapon, which appeared on a clear 10-inch in 2011, finds Tolkachev at his minimal best, spewing atonal bleeps over rumbling sub-bass and a thumping beat. Repressed onto black vinyl, it's everything good about your favourite techno producer's favourite techno producer bundled into a four-minute wrecking ball. Essentially a loop track, its jagged bleep sequence ticks as the kick drum hammers, moving in and out of sync with the barrelling low-end. There's no clap, so the energy shifts with a hi-hat that swerves between the 140-BPM beat. Abstract but deadly on the dance floor, there's no better example of Tolkachev's brilliant—and much copied—signature sound.
The other side of the vinyl holds a classic Tolkachev-style B-side. Deeper than its better-known counterpart, "Imago" smoulders where "Yes, Today" sparks. Bleeps are dragged across another blunt kick drum, squeaking and fizzing until they become musical. Channelling cold optimism and bleak melancholy, the mood is intense but vague. This ambiguity is precisely why Tolkachev's productions are so loved. A studio wizard with the golden touch, his tracks explode with character without a clear melody in sight. Don't miss out on Why Are You So Frightened this time around.
TracklistA Yes, Today
B Imago