Szare – Volya review

The best artists are the ones who don’t repeat themselves. This may sound like contradictory advice for producers involved in a style that places repetition high on its list of necessary attributes, but there are countless techno artists who kept ploughing the same furrow and now reside in the ‘where are they now’? category.

So far, Szare has shown himself to be someone who is not afraid of changes. While there are common characteristics and nuances in each release, both as Szare and under the 19.26.1.18.5 guise, this new release on Idle Hands sees unmistakable progress. The title track is, like his recent remix of Shifted on Syndrome Z, a steppy, lurching number, but by no means plays by the rules. Distended, dislocated vocals appear amid the fuzzy bass licks and heavy claps, lending the arrangement an ethereal feeling. A similar approach is audible on “Action Five”.

While Szare again avoids the temptations of the straight kick drum, the drizzling percussion and incessant filter will give it some DJ usefulness in the right hands. However, it’s the gorgeous melodies, mysterious yet strangely beautiful melodies that make “Action Five” so special. Reminiscent of the esoteric warblings of the 4AD label in its heyday, it will pique the curiosity of those who might normally run a mile from techno.

Richard Brophy