Berlin techno stalwart Efdemin, aka Phillip Sollmann, drops what might just be his best album to date with Decay.
His third solo LP, after 2007's self-titled debut and 2010's Chicago, finds the producer focusing more on the deeper side of techno. This focus gives the record a far more coherent feel than his previous output whilst also adding a kind of streamlined beauty to the entire project.
The album started production in Berlin and was then recorded during a three-month artist residency in Kyoto, Japan. Thematically, it's all about the exploration of the paradoxical relationship between beauty and decay. This leads to a rich, highly immersive soundscape that roots itself in deep techno but also meanders through elements of drone music, sound art and highly atmospheric electronica.
The melodies are often subtle, creating an interesting juxtaposition with the vigour of the bottom end. It is in that blend of cold and stark, warmth and beauty, that Efdemin has created the intrigue that makes Decay such compelling listening.
3.5 out of 5
