Mark Broom - Deal Or No Deal

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  • You could tell me this was a long-awaited reissue and I wouldn't raise an eyebrow. As timely as the title track sounds—steely but sweaty techno with dubby inflections—it's got a tribal surge that feels closer to the mid-90s. (Which may be because it's the new record from a steadily prolific veteran with about fifteen years under his belt, whose early career was tightly intertwined with artists like The Black Dog and Baby Ford.) The pounding techno of "Deal Or No Deal" isn't too distant from Sandwell District's rumbling stabs and industrial rhythms, or Modern Love's dubbier releases. The difference is that there's no interest here in paring down the strobe-lit hedonism. Moreso, it reminds of some of Basic Channel's early tracks or, to look in a different direction, Jeff Mills. "Runners," steers nearer to Tresor in feel, with a rubbery wobble of bass, some sci-fi contrails and regular subwoofer depth charges to help novices locate the club from around the corner. It's a potent couple of tunes, fully satisfying an appetite for deep, muscular techno, but offering something quite distinct from the tropes and tendencies of recent dub techno. The second side runs at a far less driving pace. Both "This Town" and "Look and Stare" pair restrained house beats with airy synths. The Vangelis-and-a-rhythm-track atmospherics are certainly familiar but, all the same, its bright, future-romantic ambience conveys an awe that's quite contagious. In any event, it's a deep breath at sunrise after the first side's fevered race through Gotham.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Deal Or No Deal A2 Runners B1 This Town (VIP MIx) B2 Look and Stare
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