- Power Vacuum records tend to be two things: really fucking heavy and weird. Codex stands out for how straightforward it is, especially next to records by Cylob and EDMX. Scalameriya is a Serbian producer with a particularly evil perspective on techno (think brostep-levels of aggression), while Italian VSK is a little more cerebral. The approaches are complementary, and come together well on Codex, the artists' first collaborative project. The record is aggressive like other Power Vacuum releases, yet it channels that energy with a precision that feels unusual for the label.
The title track lays it out best, its piledriving kicks and metallic squeaks warning anyone who dares drop a needle on this record. "Codex" is techno that could soundtrack a horror movie, though the duo never get campy or over-the-top. "Arise" gives its fist-pumping chord progression and powerful rhythm section a crunchy coat of grit, yet it's efficient and cleverly arranged. By the same token, "Melting," with its bounding drum pattern and conventional techno build, could've come out on Ostgut Ton.
With noisy growls that sound like a malfunctioning motor, "Realgar" finds Scalameriya & VSK at their dirtiest, though it's still marked by a certain sleight of hand. Across Codex, the producers are like muzzled dogs: they snap and bark but never bite. Though it lacks some of the typical Power Vacuum madness, this is a solid, functional techno record.
トラックリストA1 Codex
A2 Melting
B1 Arise
B2 Realgar