Drvg Cvltvre – Grauwvuur EP
You can always tell a Vincent Koreman record apart from other techno releases. The Dutch producer’s music is dense, unpredictable and most of all raw and grimy, the polar opposite of electronic music’s creeping sterility. Nearly every track that bears his name sounds like it has been dragged backwards through a sewer from the studio in some kind of bizarre post-production ritual. Certainly it’s apparent that Koreman followed a unique method to make Grauwvuur sound murky, and in the process, idiosyncratic.
“My Houz” starts the release in typically earthy form. Unlike the crisp drums, blinding acid segues and inherently positive messages of Chicago tracks that feature this bastardisation spelling of ‘house’ in their titles, Koreman’s vision is positively subterranean, as a grime-caked baseline pulses in and out of time and from a basement room an imprisoned voice shrieks out for help. The mood on “My Houz” is far removed from that of the house nation.
The Nietzsche-esque title of “Tyranny of the Gods” belies another blasphemy from Koreman. Here, he daubs a jittery synth and insistent rave stabs over an oppressive bass and a mid-tempo groove. It starts out sounding belligerent, but gradually assumes a mysterious feeling thanks to some layered sound scapes drifting in. There’s a similarly reflective feeling on “Sleepdealer”, with Koreman displaying his sensitive side as atmospheric synths unravel over a teased out electronic groove.
It’s only a temporary distraction however and the release ends with “Crack Spirit Guide”. Like his recent release on Cos Mos, Koreman again takes influence from EBM. The dank 303s unfold over a punishing, pounding bass and the rolling drums serve to highlight the track’s unflinching militarism. Drvg Cvltvre may not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s hard to disagree that in a world of anonymity and sameness, his music teems with a distinctive personality.
Richard Brophy
Tracklisting:
A1. My Houz
A2. Tyranny Of The Gods
B1. Sleepdealer
B2. Crack Spirit Guide