- Perhaps more than any other genre in dance music, techno has a huge undercurrent of quality labels with very little recognition outside DJ circles. Most feature the same characteristics: vinyl-only, very little promotion, quality packaging and, most importantly, great tunes. Ressort Imprint is one of those labels. The Berlin operation has so far released six 12-inches from relatively unknown artists, most accompanied by a couple of remixes from established acts. Founder Ekserd supplies Ressort's latest 12-inch, The Hidden Documents, which is also his debut release. Like everything on the label before it, this diverse EP features four effective techno cuts.
The Hidden Documents has two originals, with remixes by I/Y and Svreca. Both originals are hard-hitting and trippy but with clearly different moods. Opener "Hidden Document I" is the only peak-time banger, with a cleverly distorted but clean kick and metallic samples. I prefer the other three tracks, all of which are at the deeper end of the spectrum. "Hidden Document II" is prime late-hour material, making use of a dubby, rolling drum pattern centred on a tough kick. I/Y's rework is similarly subdued but a touch more expressive, recalling the murky haze of their popular work on their own label. Svreca provides the EP's the most challenging track, an eight-minute atmospheric remix that DJs brave enough to play could probably dazzle a crowd with. Expect Ressort Imprint to be around for a while if it continues dishing out records like this.
TracklistA1 Hidden Document I
A2 Hidden Document II
B1 Hidden Document I (I/Y Remix)
B2 Hidden Document II (Svreca Remix)