One of the best consequences of a new (net-)label is the fresh names it brings; Hyo
After missing the third EP, (I might do a review of it anyway) Cicuta releases a hard hitting six track EP with three original tracks and one remix each. The tracks are dark and abstract and take you (back?) to a sentient industrial machine gone rogue.
Here are some previews to give you an overall impression.
The tracks miss a bit of bass sometimes, a matter of taste perhaps, but the overall sound makes up for most of it. Some parts of the tracks remind me of Unmarked Noise’s release; V. Black with it’s quirky synth riffs and off-beat rhythms. The remixes take the idea of ‘dark and industrial’ and give it a little more structure and in case of the Bran Lanen remix add a bit of imagination, a small silver-lining at the end of the storm. If, like me, you’ve got a yearning for more retro-techno this is well worth your bandwidth.
Kicking off with the intro to the EP, ‘The Birth’ is a short ambient/noise soundscape to set a mood for the EP. A rhythmic track follows, which shows influences from Detroid-bass with an experimental twist. The ‘Hermético Remix’ takes the track’s hook and transforms the song into a big-room techno remix.
Shadai is where the EP picks up in speed. An up-tempo techno track comparable to, and missed since, the sounds of the start of the millennium; Dark, thumping and spacy. The remixes of Shadai are not my cup of tea though, and this is also my only critique on this release. The remixes don’t do for the EP what they should have. They offer a different perspective, a very spooky one at that. But the remixes failed to grasp me.
All-round a less dark EP than the first Cicuta release. One that’s dancable and a little more experimental, rhythmic, and crisp. Crisp for it’s great stereo-image and clearness in sound. The tracks Drugstore delivers are good and usable in your DJ-set, but get dragged down a bit by the remixes. Be sure to listen to ‘Shadai’ and ‘Night Dream’ though, the EP’s little deejaying pleasures.
The EP kicks off with a minimal techno track titles ‘Quantum’ by Kike Pravda, who we’ve also heard on the now defunct label Offaudio. A bit of the usual minimal chatter that we’ve heard the last years but with a warm sound nonetheless. People who’ve had enough of minimal techno be warned; This theme runs throughout the entire E.P. However, starting at the second track already shows it’s diversity; ‘Librium’ by Vegim. A trip through abstract slighty off-beat up-tempo techno which I’ve been missing the past seven years! After just two minutes of rolling into the track the machine like drums and synths start their entrancing process. The break around four minutes stops the process, showing it’s payload only to start-up the process again and crush it, leaving you begging for more. The third track, ‘Home’ by i1 Ambivalent, is a perfect follow-up. Keeping the machines running and slamming you and everyone else listening.
Track four is a complete surprise, exploring a progressive minimalectro soundscape that will also be appreciated by many electro-house DJ’s the world over. It creates an oasis of organic melody in a harsh electronic landscape. (Not that that’s a bad thing!) The fifth track, ‘Growing Shadows’ by One-D & Edrian Sailing, lifts you from the oasis up in the air. It takes it’s time to get up to speed but the wait is well worth it. After about two minutes the synth starts it descents from the progressive air surrounding it and impacts with the ground on numerous occasions. It’s payload is delivered spread over the next 3 minutes after which it flies off into the air again.
Another ex-off regular shows his cybernetic muscles to finish off the EP, Drugstore with a new production titled ‘Udayan’. A big-room techno track with trippy vocals and long reverbs. It shows Drugstores progressive prowess, with many twists and turns keeping the listener dancing and surprised throughout the track. A great climax for a heavy techno set reminiscent of productions by Christian Smith and John Selway.
Utilizing the Creative Commons license means the music can be spread far and wide, allowing artists to play, edit, remix and sample the tracks unhindered by copyright laws. I’m very curious how this label is gonna pan out over the next couple of years. This first release shows a lot of potential and isn’t afraid to go it’s own course. It breaks free from all the repetitive minimal we’ve heard the last few years and strikes a chord with my personal objectives; Taking techno back into a more abstract darker realm where dancing is more important than tripping-out over simple bleeps. and with that I consider Cicuta’s maiden voyage a successful one, and one hell of a trip to boot!
Tracklist:
01. Kike Pravda – Quantum 02. Vegim – Librium 03. i1 Ambivalent – Home 04. Mootiv – Work’Em Out 05. One D & Edrian Sailing – Growing Shadows 06. Drugstore – Udayan
After about 7 years of brilliant service to the techno- & net-community Offaudio came down with some server issues. What many didn’t know, was that during it’s downtime the plans to continue Offaudio were being discussed. I was informed of this much earlier, but didn’t want to leak information that wasn’t decided just yet, and thus potentially incorrect. (Actually, my hopes were that Offaudio would stay, but alas.)
I featured these Offaudio releases in pretty much any show I did, Holland to Japan. And also feature heavily in my promotional DJ-mixes, on Mixcloud or right here on these pages. When I had a day of rest during my trips to Japan, Offaudio tracks were usually the first I’d add to my playlist(s) for the day, on my iPod and when preparing for my next DJ-set.
What will remain is the memory, and of course the actual files (tracks) that still carry the Offaudio logo, the many tracks on your hard-drive, and possibly floating in your cloud-service somewhere.
And with that we say farewell to (in my opinion) the best Techno net-label yet..
One of the best consequences of a new (net-)label is the fresh names it brings; Hyo
All About Music, Review | JordyVision | 
05/12/2011 16:39 | 
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