Marcel Dettman - Quicksand

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  • Hardwax employee Marcel Dettman seems to have taken at least some inspiration from his place of work – both in terms of his approach to releasing records and his sound. A previous release on his own MDR label, the excellent 'Let's Do It/Radio', was – in the best spirit of those early Basic Channel releases – short on info but high on the 'what the fuck is that?' factor. The skeletal 'Quicksand' occupies a similar space to his last 12" – it's an abrasive, intriguing record that sounds like Sleeparchive on a bumpy road. An oscillating metallic riff underpins the entire nine minutes, as crisp drums, harsh machine klonks (you'll know what a 'klonk' is if you listen to this), unnerving walls of hiss and various other non-human sounds elbow for room. The unpredictable programming adds to the air of engaging chaos – this mental machine music demands an adventurous DJ and a big soundsystem. 'Getaway' is saner – dreamy Detroit atmospherics, typewriter drums and robo blips make for uneasy bedfellows until a phased dubby riff and intricate hi-hats pull it all together. One for the boys.
RA