- Last month Terence Fixmer played a rare DJ set at Berghain. Fixmer is a strictly a live performer, so it was bound to be an occasion. He only played for two hours—a normal time slot in most clubs, except this one—although there was so much to get lost in. Just like his productions, the set was detailed and richly layered. Parts wrinkled and folded into a deeply heady techno vortex that sucked you in deeper the more you gave in to it. The same thing happens on Force, Fixmer's second EP for Ostgut, following Beneath The Skin.
"Force" feels like it's already started without you, so its effect is immediate. The steady pace gives it dance floor appeal, but it's the sound design that keeps you piqued. Tiny industrial notes are constantly going off, leaping out of the scuzzy grind like sonic flares—there's one that sounds like a scream. "Sidewalk" is more hypnotic. Sweeping synths dart in and out of frame, upsetting the track's 4/4 thrust with their irregular palpitations, a seriously trippy move. Rattling bells create a cocoon of euphoria on "Striking Patterns," where there's just a few slashes of noise disrupting the rolling minimalism. "Melting Planets" is plush and dubby, proof that Fixmer can be exquisite and austere with equal aplomb.
トラックリストA1 Force
A2 Sidewalk
B1 Melting Planets
B2 Striking Patterns