KW12 by STERAC

Darker techno release by Sterac aka Steve Rachmad. Check!Dutch techno legend Steve Rachmad, aka STERAC, joins the Klockworks ranks with an outstanding four-track EP, set for release on June 23rd. For almost 20 years, Steve Rachmad has concentrated on the kind of melodic, grooved club tracks that DJs love, releasing on labels such as Music Man, Rejected, Tresor and Wolfskuil. Over this time, he has been responsible for some of techno's true classics, 'Astronotes', 'Asphynx' and 'Thera' to name a few. The particular tracks signed by Ben Klock for KW12 draw from a number of the styles Sterac has explored over the years, and each add something else of their own. Opener 'Track 2' is punchy and brilliantly executed, setting the tone for the rest of the EP. It centres around coarse mid-range notes that develop throughout and bind the warm lows with high-frequency hiss. Rachmad uses a similar sound palette on 'Rotary', a track that featured prominently in Ben Klock's Fabric mix CD. This time he opts for a more spacious mix, allowing the unpredictable texture of hardware to create a retro bassline sure to get any crowd moving. 'In Circles' is deep and moody, but with uplifting strings and a Detroit feel. The strings give 'In Circles' the 3-dimensional, sci-fi quality that often marks out techno of the highest order, they are bouncy but reserved in their arrangement, keeping the track's energy in perfect balance. 'Scheepsrecht' ends this release in style. The producer weaves the core elements with canny arrangement and an endlessly-dynamic mix, resulting in hypnotic, hard-as-nails club gear. Bringing old-school production values up-to-date and keeping that unmistakable Dutch flavour, STERAC shows another side to the Klockworks sound. KW12 is sure to be on constant rotation amongst techno DJs of all styles, and will prove itself to be yet another essential Rachmad record.