- Over the years Northern German techno don, Thomas Schumacher has had a huge impact on the techno circuit, and continues to do so by pushing boundaries. On this firing EP, "Bring It Back", he explores the fiercer sounds of tech-house.
Arpeggiated synthies, bad ass basslines, tight-as-a-nun's-pussy beats and maddening LFO twists have been wigging out dancefloors across the nation since they left the burner. Schumacher's signature charm and intensity, together with his knack for creating stunning arrangements, means this release is loaded with thrills and surprises.
A compressed snare pattern and kick, start to slave away at the beat, allowing for a DJ-friendly intro on "Inside". An electric stab with intricate filter work, grabs the listener with fierceness as the continuous build tweeks out into a complimenting bass.
Percussive patterns and effects slide in and out of the background, adding balance in all the right places. There are more tweeks on the electric stab, which should drive the dance floor into a frenzy, before the bass line and kick cut out accentuating the high hats.
A small build with a shaker brings in a tougher and more intense stab with twisting patterns. Solid percussive work in the background make for a top selection during peak set time. A twisted electro-tech monster. (8/10)
A very tight intro with a slight bleep, loose hits, claps and nasty vocal snippet gets things moving on "Dead Arm". A horn sounding synth pushes through with heavy bass stabs before everything but the vocal and sliding effects completely drop out, giving way to the madness.
The beat jumps back in with a disgusting bass pattern, more vocal samples and a tuff kick drum. Acid bleeps enter, creating a build as the pattern increases. This is when the script changes. A sudden breakdown occurs, the acid bleeps slow down and a slow long acid bass line is brought in. Vocals and hats fill in the foreground as the contortion of beats, bleeps and effects leads us back to the original bassline. Wow, a very good tech-house destroyer. (9/10)
The intro of "Steady Digging" signals rock 'n' roll is still alive as a sudden clap fill and heavy bass comes in. A tambourine soon rides in, dropping out on a police siren effect before a small effects fill brings back the more aggressive loop and heavy bassline.
The track builds more and more with changing notes of the bass, claps and small fills. An fx sweep suddenly cuts everything with the kick, bass and shaker left grooving. Volume automation brings in a twisting acid line, filling space that builds to a filtered insanity.
A hands-in-the-air moment follows the break as a quick snare fill brings in the complete track with perfect timing. The acid line sounds perfect and the cop siren effects make for a unique use of sounds. Quality, Quality, Quality. (9/10)