exium: mass control

Spanish techno purveyors Exium make their debut on Detroit Underground with a smashing EP of thunderous, mind-altering techno. From the restrained beginning of True Force, you might not know you are in for shock therapy, but midway through the A1 cut, the intent becomes clear. Arkheom pushes forward into spacier, yet still manic territories, never losing the paranoid feeling caught between the push and pull of percussion and noise. On the flip, Mass Control ratchets up the nervous synth stabs, while glassy pads war with an underlying growl to really push things to the edge of sanity. Monolith rounds out side two, with a rolling bass and squelch that tunnels into your brain like a worm, as the scattered hats and swirling noise skitter along your nerve endings. The digital release offers two additional tracks, with Droxine’s swirling ghostly march, and Fixxion’s club friendly acid stabs finishing things off with a bang. To top it off, the Designers Republic-designed sleeve art once again adds a stunning visual element to an already fantastic vinyl offering

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