clouds: htid

HTID: Heaven-Sent Tekno Impakting Dancefloors, Or Hardcore Till I Die is Calum Macleod and Liam Robertson's third Electric Deluxe record. As was the case with Timeslip Roadmender and follow-up An Outrageous Fate Type, HTID is a chomping, foaming, kinda nutty set of industrial techno-jungle half-breeds. They were happy party things once, a long time ago, but after decades festering in a petri dish, they turned mutant and multitudinous -- which is why there are twice as many of them this time. If a pummeling 4/4 is your thing, "Dinner At Skinja's" has you covered. "Quest Posse Wanted" meanwhile is bullet-riddled breakbeat, and "Fallout" is the sound of rave resurrected, rewound, and rolled back out again. "Rush In 2 Orbit (Skinnergate)" shows off the pair's abstract side, which a track like "Panosonics" lashes things down into something more club friendly. Stick "Knuckles' Heavy Vanguard" on to get the masses motivated, then drop "Base Damage" to show 'em you mean business. Once everyone's knees are good and swollen, float "Floatation Advice" as a peace offering, which actually is anything but. No fireworks, no dazzle, just techno at its finest.