- Daring techno and electro primed for the dance floor.
- Two releases in, the Failed Units label seems most interested in exploring the zone in which experimental music becomes danceable. Or is it where dance music becomes experimental? Either way, think of artists like Objekt and Galaxian, who combine the tricky intricacies of IDM with the rhythmic pulse of electro and techno to conjure tracks that test the limit of what works on most dance floors. It's a balance that, for me, Daniel Ruane, one of the label's cofounders, didn't always nail on Dawn Of The Failed Units Pt. 1. The tracks had plenty of weight and presence, but didn't stay still long enough to establish anything too memorable. In this respect, Vee, who debuts the alias here but is apparently an experienced producer, has more success.
"Litha" crackles with wayward energy but operates within a techno frame. The track's first 90 seconds are devastating: a distorted, electrified loop precedes an earth-shattering kick and bass drop, but unfortunately the tension dissipates when a rowdy acid line arrives. "Aether (Stage II)," which is basically a slamming, broken-beat drum track, impressively executes the impression of being both simple and complex. Given his tendency to work with aggression and minimal arrangements, Cleveland's Prostitutes is a smart choice as a remixer. His main rework of "Aether (Stage II)" is in the style of those chunky techno/EBM hybrids he's good at, while his "Reduced" mix of the same track makes a similar expression with even less.
Tracklist01. Litha
02. Aether (Stage II)
03. Aether (Prostitutes Remix)
04. Aether (Prostitutes Reduced Mix)