2007 is fast becoming the year that dub snakes its musty tendrils back into the minimal techno continuum, and UK upstart Meanwhile is riding high on the crest of this trend. Their most recent transmission, Sven Weisemann’s ‘Shade’ EP, is a deftly executed pair of tracks that straddles the sounds of yore from Detroit to Berlin. Equal parts Carl Craig and Basic Channel, Weisemann’s sound is informed by his jazz pianist background, weaving effervescent delay and echo between synth patterns and restrained drum programming. The result, a remarkably organic sounding 12”, fits snuggly alongside the recent output of labels like Modern Love, Echochord and Syncom Data. ‘Floating Dub’ – the A-side – is a lumbering beast of a track, with interlocking cycles of filtered chords, arpeggiated bass tones, and clattering cymbals falling into – and out of – sync, while a steel-forged bass pulse holds the proceedings together. It’s a potent formula, perfectly suited to the dance floors of after-afterparties resting on the cusp of dawn – a baked dub construction keeping the zombies alive. ‘Spheric Wave,’ on the flip, however, is the real prize. Weisemann allows the rhythm to control the track, reining in the skittering snares and pads in order to create a sense of tension in the production, creating a DJ tool expertly honed for the late night stretch: a deep dub trance so hypnotic it feels like hours have passed by in the space of just a few minutes. Weisemann’s releases have always been a treat, but, with the ‘Shade’ EP and another set of tracks coming out later this summer on Mojuba, he’s putting himself right up there with the likes of Deepchord and the Basic Channel collective.
Tracklisting:
A Floating Dub
B Spheric Wave
