This penultimate EP of the tenth anniversary series is a defiant reminder of the past. The sheer quality of 90s techno has never been in doubt, nevertheless listening back to these unheard pieces not only solidifies this truth, it galvanises it. Sad as it is to realise that there is only one more disc in De:tuned’s simply superb series, the hope of more in the future from the Atypic archives will certainly lift the spirits.
Eight down. Twenty three artists. The De:tuned anniversary vinyl bonanza has been manna from heaven for the electronic faithful. Music from past and present, from pioneers and current trailblazers, has graced this deep and dynamic series. Number nine is all about one little known alias, Andy Turner and Ed Handley, aka Plaid, and Atypic.
Turner and Handley have a dizzying number of monikers and pseudonyms, yet Atypic is one of their lesser used. With a smattering of tracks on compilations in the 90s, the best known from this nom de plume is “Focus Mel” from the seminal Bytes album way back in 1993. The two pieces on offer for this ninth instalment are taken from a year just before the release of Bytes with each being steeped in the concepts and sounds of the Artificial Intelligence series.
As you would expect for material from these Warp Records veterans, both these pieces were well ahead of their time. Elements of house and techno are present, but the duo looked further afield for ideas and influences.“Henkhisesui” is a perfect illustration of this. Heartbeat blips and bleeps give way to gentle pan pipe like notes that float and glide over warming pads and crushed claps. Images of ancient rainforests, rich green canopies capped with grey mists, are conjured in this daringly different work of organic forms and shapes. “Palaeeudyptinae” comes to life in a haze of smoke. Skittish drum patterns are adopted, broken beats following the hip hop cut of vocal samples and subtle bass lines. Honeyed piano keys unveil a burgeoning interest in jazz experimentation that would come to define Plaid’s later fluid sonic style.
This penultimate EP of the tenth anniversary series is a defiant reminder of the past. The sheer quality of 90s techno has never been in doubt, nevertheless listening back to these unheard pieces not only solidifies this truth, it galvanises it. Sad as it is to realise that there is only one more disc in De:tuned’s simply superb series, the hope of more in the future from the Atypic archives will certainly lift the spirits.
DE:10.09 is available on De:tuned.
