Temper by Marco Bailey
Techno stalwart with 17-track magnum opus
What is it with so many long albums recently? Maya Jane Coles, Johannes Heil, Special Request, Deepchord, Leyland Kirby, Terrence Dixon, Christopher Willits... the list goes on. Now Techno stalwart Marco Bailey joins the ranks with a 17-track magnum opus called Temper. It's his fifth album yet it feels like a retrospective, a range of styles that consolidate his vast thirty years of experience as a DJ and producer presented as one fulfilling whole.
Production-wise, it's immaculate; everything's crisp and zingy. While familiar Techno traits can be identified everywhere there's rarely any point where boredom takes hold. In saying that, it's the tracks that veer away from the standard 4x4 template that contribute to this persistent level of captivation, like the satisfyingly catchy Klauth which could be a lost Radioactive Man treasure or the delicate melody on Ryoko that signals the descent of a pleasantly undulating album arc. Elsewhere Bailey's background in Trance peaks through in places with tastefully crafted cuts like Feel It's Time and Chroma.
Pace and contrast are important elements for albums of this length (if they are to be appreciated as a single listening experience at least) and this is where Bailey has excelled. Hybrid shapes of Techno and Trance entwine amiably while Ambient streaks pattern the flow. It may be long (1hr 40mins) but there's an awful lot to like and love here.
Temper is out now on his own Materia label, which was just launched last year.
- Rating: 8/10
- Listens: 7
- Highlight: Klauth
- Label: Materia
- Release Date: 3rd November, 2017