answer code request: code

This is the debut LP from Berlin producer Answer Code Request on Ostgut Ton. Whether through his DJ sets, his increasing appearances as a live act, or with impressive releases on Marcel Dettmann Records and his own label ACR as an emergent Berghain resident, Patrick Gräser is one of the new exciting faces on the label. Code is a statement that coquettishly plays with the crucial question of electronic music -- which tasks and perspectives a techno album should demonstrate. All created during the last year, the 12 tracks introduce a genuine, reverent and adult sound concept which presents itself as a fog-shrouded journey through time -- combining Gräser's influences and history with several genres of dance music: from Detroit-inspired elegies over the UK sound with its breakbeats and IDM references, to the warm side of Berlin techno from the '90s. Despite the occasional nostalgic depth, Code is shrouded in a shadowy aura and a mystical mood that runs like a common thread through these tracks. Following on from the calm of the title-track, "Blue Russian" unveils Gräser's verve for detailed structure. His synthesis of swirling sci-fi sounds and stoic percussion develop a seething climax, which is constantly fed by his dramatic pads. "Field Depth," with its tandem of warm synths and the precise, powerful bass drum, clarifies that ACR's author-focused techno goes way beyond the composition of mere sketches. The UK-influenced design between warm and dark sounds evokes a mix of claustrophobia and restlessness while enchanting shades converse like they are hailing from a foreign galaxy. "Odyssey Sequence" sets foot on disturbing terrain where an ambient synth arrangement unfolds itself in the manner of a sound painting in atmospheric, gliding flight. "Zenith" emphasizes the drum-based focus of his compositions, while next to its rigidity, a melodic figure communicates in the background like sparkling moments of longing and hope. "Relay Access" continues this fragile magic in a downtempo-driven way where each beat, each soundscape and even the rudimentary, swirling spirals enjoy sufficient room to develop. On "Status" the floor is a fixpoint from where to carry out some grumbling bass modulations in unison with mechanical hi-hats and oracular soundscapes. Both the rattling breaks of "Haul" as well as the mantra-like prayer "Spin Off" embody a non-conformist ritual, before the British artist and singer Elizabeth Bernholz, known from her project Gazelle Twin, brings her impressive timbre between whispers and choral meditation into heavy pulsation backed by some heartthrob beats on "Axif." As the final sounds of the dreamy "Thermal Capacity" fade away, the moment has been reached where Code is halfway deciphered. Patrick Gräser's debut adds a pondering and sublime facet to the Ostgut Ton catalog, while also being emancipated from the dancefloor.