Dark Channel by Slam
Dark and mature Techno, finely crafted
As a long-time fan of Slam I've always been impressed with the way their sound has transformed over the years. Compare 2004's Year Zero with new album Dark Channel for a stark contrast! In retrospect I see Reverse Proceed from 2014 as a pivotal moment; a fourteen track album that flowed like a DJ mix, traversing a path from Ambient to Techno. Realising back in 2008 that Techno was the(ir) future, they set up a new label called Paragraph to release their own tracks (check City Destroyer, Hot Knives, One Note Samba for a taste) and since then, apart from 2018's experimental Athenæum 101, it's been full-on Techno Techno Techno. And boy does this pair know how to craft a Techno track!
The 'dark' in Dark Channel says it all. Residing in the shadows, this is ten tracks of unrelenting, stripped-back Techno. Recorded using a live setup (modular synths, a Roland 909, Ableton, Push controller and outboard effects) the dystopian vibe (note the artwork too) is powerful and fitting, translating the negative energy of world affairs into something focused, soothing and uplifting. All the traits are there, so there's nothing groundbreaking (what is in the world of Techno these days?) but the two central tracks Kuture Version and Infinit Spaces stand out, working Dub shapes into the rhythms to great effect. Solid stuff.