- After a lengthy break from the studio, Martin Landsky returns for his tenth release for Steve Bug’s Poker Flat label and it’s a minimal killer any label boss would be proud of. If you’ve forgotten about Landsky in his long absence, he’s no newcomer with a long history of parties and productions on Poker Flat including 'FM Safari' and 'Back (Go For The)'. This time, Landsky’s new effort ‘1000 Miles’ is backed by a remix from fellow German and Minus hotshot Loco Dice.
‘1000 Miles’ proceeds with a dry and throbbing kick underpinned by a simple chord sample that repeats, swirls and stabs, decorating these minimal quarters with dark and misty dollops of groove. Less is most definitely more on this cut; there’s little sign of effects overkill or Pro Tools pondering. When the track drops after the buildup, it positively shimmers with tension, promising revellers both darker waters and optimism. This is a one hundred percent peaktime acetate and I can see messieurs Villalobos, Hawtin and Vath sliding this one into their crates.
Loco ‘Seeing Thorough Shadows’ Dice delivers a calculated and well-constructed edit on the flip. Not much is changed, but if it ain’t broke, why fix it? The buildup is less obvious, with added shakers and timely bleeps, but this one is slow, supreme and all about the details, smaller objects lending greater impact. Angry chords, clicks and anonymous pops dissolve, confuse and fade away – Loco Dice really shows his thorough understanding of minimal production for maximum effect.
Overall, the single showcases one artist returning to form (with remixes on the way as we speak) and another riding high his own crest of the minimal wave. Both cuts will be weapons of choice for those DJs hammering Gabriel Ananda’s ‘Doppelwhipper’, Thomas Schumacher’s ‘Rotor’ or Hug’s ‘The Platform’, my only qualm would be the workrate of Landksy – less might be more when it comes to production, but not when it comes to output.