- Paul Boex's Rotterdam-based Dynamic Reflection imprint has heavily featured Abstract Division—a collaboration between Boex and label regular Dave Miller—recently. The duo's first two Form & Function records drew remixes from a cross-section of techno talent (Milton Bradley, Dasha Rush, Delta Funktionen and Ben Sims), and the third entry in the series features one original track, "Deformation," alongside three reinterpretations.
It's probably "Deformation" itself that's the most impressive here, or at least the most unique. With that one, Boex and Miller provide just enough little flourishes—a fuzzy, modulated riff at work in the low-end, or the sirens that occasionally swing in from above—to keep things compelling. Mike Parker's remix stays true to the sound of his loop-based analog productions, where otherworldly hiccups are endlessly repeated to reveal subtle fractal effects. Next up is Norman Nodge, who suppresses the original's gurgling bass, and stuffs the rest of the space with typically Nodge-like flurries of hi-hats.
Both Parker and Nodge keep their tracks near the driving, floor-ready tempo of the original. Area Forty_One, on the other hand, pitches his remix down. It's pleasantly airy, and I like the sounds (especially the little twists on elements pulled from the original), but the whole thing comes across as a bit too subdued and formulaic. Overall, nothing spectacular, but a diverse set of tracks that techno DJs will surely fit into the mix.
Tracklist A1 Deformation
A2 Deformation (Mike Parker Remix)
B1 Deformation (Norman Nodge Remix)
B2 Deformation (Area Forty_One Remix)