In just one year of activity, Berceuse Heroique has set up a riveting catalogue. Releasing material from MGUN, L’estasi D’ell oro and Gesloten Cirkel amongst others, the London based imprint has built a solid reputation and distinctive identity in the saturated landscape of techno and house labels. Flying the Berceuse Heroique flag this time, Bristolian producer Koehler sustains the momentum of his promising debut release on Skudge White and returns to drop a terrific mix of pressurised beats and deep breaks with the same touch of madness that characterises his sound.
In this sense, ‘Dynasty‘ is the epitome of what Koehler is up to at the moment: a raw impromptu of acid techno boosted by a filthy, hovering groove. As the alarm goes off and claps whiplash with rage, his off-kilter patterns seem to always shift direction and shirk expectations, avoiding any demarcated lines to disappear into magnetic, droning ruts. Powered by Koehler’s acute sense for instantly soaring grooves, the tune draws its lot of hit-and-run lilts and sucker punch-y bass lines while the drooling machines seem to get in constant circuit overheat.
No surprise that in Koehler’s own words ‘Spiral Light‘ boils down to ‘Cyberdyne Systems, Model 101’ and the fact is that the track clearly wouldn’t be out of place in any Terminator’s episode. Strafing a bristling dose of jackhammering kicks and steel drums in addition to scattered chinging blade samples that seem to be taken directly from some obscure kung-fu B-movie, the British producer delivers yet another kaleidoscopic view of his anfractuous combination of sound. A truly Lynch-ian gyre on every level.
As a sonic escape from the precedent meanderings, ‘Deleted Scene‘ reads the epilogue to Dynasty’s trippy journey in a much calmer accent. The ambience is contemplative; as a woman’s voice whispers unintelligible words, iridescent pads come belch their rays along and it’s a new dawn that’s rising here. Bold and intent, Koehler’s second attempt is a brain-melting achievement. Surfing that dazing chaos, the producer already seems to know where he’s headed. Gladly, we have no idea.
Discover more about Koehler and Berceuse Heroique on Inverted Audio.