- Gloomy techno loaded with energy.
- Nathaniel Young doesn't get enough credit in American techno. Through his Blankstairs label, the Portland-via-New-York artist helped shape a West Coast scene that combines the sleek aerodynamics of Sandwell District with dense atmospherics. He hasn't made much music himself, but Guilt—a new collaboration with Oliver Chapoy, a low-key figure better known as Certain Creatures—is a promising start, taking the gloom of Blankstairs and spiking it with an aggressive surge.
With a name like Guilt, there could be some influence here from producers like Regis and Silent Servant, who take inspiration from Catholic tradition and iconography. But this record is more than just hero worship—it's fierce, kinetic techno that would feel macho if it weren't so lithe. All three tracks lunge from the speakers in different ways. "We Thought We Were" has the tightness of old Downwards records, while "Demiurge" has thick acid textures lush with decay. "Cult Leader Of My Youth," which spreads out like a spore cloud, might be even better, each little noise like a spark in flammable atmosphere. Løt.te's "Deception Mix" of "We Thought We Were" offers a different perspective, more about rhythm than texture.
Tracklist01. We Thought We Were
02. Cult Leader Of My Youth
03. Demiurge
04. We Thought We Were (Løt.te Deception Mix)
05. Cult Leader Of My Youth (λήθη Version)
06. We Thought We Were (Løt.te Oppresion Mix)