For the third time, Remember the Future delivers. This sextet of tracks is diverse and immersive. From the dancefloor to more cerebral expressions, the collection offers a wide range and quality. With the clouds that are gathering around the present, this retrospective future gazing is a welcome audio tonic.
Stripped to the bare necessities
You’d be hard-pressed to find a label as varied as To Pikap. In the last twelve months, the Thessaloniki imprint has explored the jungle juxtapositions of Pera Sta Ori and the thought-provoking techno of DimDj while delving into more experimental abstractions through tape releases. As the Summer sun begins to heat up, the third installment of Remember the Future is just hitting stores.
Previous contributors return to a 12” that is stylistically more varied than its predecessors. Quazatron arrives at To Pikap with the bombastic “You Are What You Dance.” This homegrown talent shatters drum patterns while liberally sprinkling breaks over breathy pads of pyschotropic samples. A throwback beast. Sipping from the same broken beat cup is retrurnee and veteran of all three compilations: Dj Tsoug. A lengthy introduction is punctured by a steady snare, mellow notes floating above shuffling hi-hats as “Log out to real life” takes shape. This isn’t a sparring session, instead the track is bright with just a little tongue-in-cheek chicarery through a classic ravy piano line and a filter-pass or two. The percussion patterns tighten under DimDj, the analogue chameleon serving up a joyous Chicago house romp in the form of “Celmantin II.” Spikey key stabs are doused in a good glug of acid as the TR707 and TR727 bounce and bump. “Red Squid Star System” sees BufoBufo adopt an electro mantle. Frigid funk is warmed through by 303 squelches, generous breaks offering new angles and avenues to be explored in this measured and meandering work.
Cold, yet emotive, machine music ::
To Pikap have somehow coaxed Martin Wood-Mitrovski out from hiding. With releases going back to the late 90s, MDK was central figure on Spymania (which some will remember for putting out some of Squarepusher’s first material.) Donning the mask of NOT_MDK, “Kožuf” is a masterpiece in cold, yet emotive, machine music. Harsh industrial crashes and shimmering notes envelop a stark central beat, darkened tones looming against pinpoints of light in this superbly balanced piece. To close, the minimal jerk of Damage Per Second. Stripped to the bare necessities, the title probably has more words than the track has elements. Nevertheless, “Interestellar Atheist (Luicifuge Rofocale)” has moments of intrigue in its emphermal two minute existance.
For the third time, Remember the Future delivers. This sextet of tracks is diverse and immersive. From the dancefloor to more cerebral expressions, the collection offers a wide range and quality. With the clouds that are gathering around the present, this retrospective future gazing is a welcome audio tonic.
Remember the Future Part Three is available on To Pikap. [Bandcamp]
