Pele & Shokh - Thumbs

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  • As Frankfurt-based Connaisseur Records and its prime cuts imprint Connaisseur Supérieur continue their meteoric rise in stature and popularity, expectations of their output grow in kind. A lot of it is pretty much buy on sight, but this time you'd do well to try it out before reaching the register. 'Thumbs' pairs Pele (aka Patrick Gallenmüller, whose Detroit-thumping 'Childhood's End' appeared on the imprint this April) and Dave Shokh (oddball Berliner affiliated with Kiddaz.fm), while on the flip Simon Baker takes on remix duties. But this turn toward shoddy minimal techno seems uninspired and backward for the usually dynamic Connaisseur. 'Thumbs' adheres more to Shokh's usual sound palate than Pele's, favoring itchy and scratchy percussion and sickly bleeps. Its creaks and moans butt heads with a gnashing paper shredder counter-rhythm, and are occasionally sprayed with the braying blips of a forlorn fax machine. These unappealing timbres grow even less bearable as the awkward shuffling rhythm kicks into high gear, all but eliminating the track's dancefloor utility. With source material like this, I'd imagine it was no easy task for Simon Baker to coax 'Thumbs' back to the dancefloor. Perhaps the simplest change is also the most beneficial: he installs a solid kick drum and hi-hat lines to anchor the track. And while many of Shokh's twitchy pitches appear in one form or another, Baker only applies pinches of them, making for a more palatable experience. Baker's remix would do well if played for a permissive audience, but it still might confuse the average club-goer with its unconventional samples. So while I have to praise Connaisseur for being adventurous enough to release more than just instantly gratifying tech-house, 'Thumbs' strays too far from their high quality standards, even with Simon Baker's helpful restructuring. Buyer beware indeed.
  • Tracklist
      A Original B Simon Baker Rmx
RA