- The ever-reliable label Immigrant takes its foot off the accelerator with a debut appearance from Todd Bodine. The German producer's been on form over the past twelve months, and while his clever deep techno turns on Tresor and Triebstoff may not have been uber-hits, they stand out for their subtle nods to things past while still sounding fresh.
On this EP – two originals, two remixes – Bodine also takes things down a notch. His two offerings are subtle and smooth, with emphasis on the groove as opposed to bells and whistles – not a millions miles away, in fact, from the sound of former Immigrant worker John Tejada.
'Spring' kicks off with clipped percussion and a sprightly sub-bass before Bodine gradually introduces the various elements: Nintendo bleeps, blips and tinkles, woodpecker toms and other scraps, while the hint of deep chords keeps things tidy. It doesn't do much, but, thanks to the canny programming, it does it very well. 'Wake Up' is its moody older brother: murky bottom end and simple aquatic FX dominate the first part, before the beast stirs with an unexpectedly energetic break – the harsh, phased robo-riff and tech hi-hats will stir the floor into action.
Clever Music boss Mark-Henning ups the pressure with his wonky remix of 'Wake Up' – the glitchy, military percussion is more jacking than minimal, the grunts mess with the head while the constant use of the original's riff reinforces the point. Cool. The final, digital-only Hand On Throat mix of 'Spring' also flips the script – emphasizing the sub, adding a haunting wild pitch hum and an effectively spooky break. A solid four-tracker.
TracklistA1. Spring
A2. Wake Up
D1. Wake Up (Mark-Henning Remix)
Bonus Digital Track: Spring (Hand On Throat Remix)