- Ascion and D. Carbone run a few labels together. Along with their best known endeavour Repitch (which they share with Shapednoise), they manage the more experimental 3TH with fellow Italian Lucindo. Like Repitch, 3TH's output is loud and aggressive, but the beats are generally even more broken, the tracks pushing the boundaries of club-appropriate techno. Substructures is the first Ascion and D. Carbone collaboration in three years. Experimental, edgy and refined, it's so good that it makes you wonder why these guys aren't in the studio together more often.
If D. Carbone is the Repitch collective's muscle, Ascion is the heart. Most of the former's solo cuts are rough, pummelling and relentless, with jagged drums and plenty of distortion. Though also extremely hard-hitting, Ascion's tracks are emotional and atmospheric. When the duo join forces, the results are usually brilliant. Substructures features thrashing doomsday rhythms and moody background vocals, which fit together surprisingly well. "RAM Expedients," the best example of their combined style, has complex percussion that hammers below morose atmospherics and a looped vocal. "Lo-Fi Fields" is of a similar ilk, again making use of hard-hitting drums and spacey samples. Flip the vinyl and you'll find "Substructures One" and "Substructures Two," which were both recorded live in London. For me "Substructures Two"'s stunted beat makes it the winner, but both are solid efforts in the same tough-with-feeling vein. Every track on Substructures would do wonders at a party, but good luck trying to beatmatch with any of them.
TracklistA1 RAM Expedients
A2 Lo-Fi Fields
B1 Substructures One
B2 Substructures Two