Utrecht label Obscuur Records prepare a vinyl edition of Catartsis & Ōtone’s ‘Mechanical Gesture‘ EP released through the label in August 2020.
First gathering our attention through Ōtone’s ygam label back in October, through the release of an excellent EP of gritty off-kilter techno and experimental electronics from Catartsis, the pair have been picking up credit through several Hör sessions over the last year, both flying solo and together, showing genuine synchronicity in their mixing technique and musical tastes.
‘Mechanical Gesture‘ shows this harmony between their stylistics even further than their sets: comprised of two original tracks, one from each individual, the pair then turn tools to the other’s tracks, before joining together for a collaborative act on ‘Carve‘, our pick of the bunch.
Demonstrating an industrial spirit that seems right at home within the Berlin techno scene, ‘Carve‘ is jam-packed with undulating grooves powered by snarling, unruly mechanics that, despite fitting into the techno mold, buck away from generic formulae.
No straight-forward 4/4 time signature here — loaded with swing and unusual beat patterns, each stretch of the track shows keen creativity, most notably at the midway point as the already non-standard rhythm degenerates further into crumbling mechanical grit. Two names to watch for those who like their techno breaking free from long-held constraints.
‘Mechanical Gesture’ is scheduled for release 4 June via Obscuur Records. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
1. Catartsis – Press
2. Ōtone – Slice
3. Catartsis & Ōtone – Carve
4. Catartsis – Press (Ōtone repress)
5. Ōtone – Slice (Catartsis reslice)