Erik XVI – Stern-Gerlachs Försök [Highpoint Lowlife]

Electro has come along way and now gets associated with so many diverse artists especially since the blog house invasion that followed electro clash in the second half of the 00’s, but there was always that original cold funk infused stuff around if you dug deep. I for one was really into Dave Clarke’s World Service mixes with both the techno and electro discs getting rinsed. Erik XVI fits into the retro super slow-mo machine funk end of things and its pretty refreshing.

We open to a storm brewing on ‘Unionens Sista Dangar’ before a big punchy kick drops and an almighty bass pulse. Then the electro stylings really kicks in and has an air of early Dima which was the darker more retro sounding alter-ego of electro mainstay Vitalic. Its all pounding beats, old school synth pulses and vocoder vocals.

‘Kalabaliken I Bender’ is the housey or most techno of the bunch and the slow yet propellant nature of this track really adds tension. Plus with its uplifting crystal Kraftwerk-esq arpeggiated synth riffs its kind of catchy and euphoric. Erik XVI isn’t afraid to wear his influences on his sleeve you can even read his blog on the address bellow to see his influences and methods behind the EP.

The final section of the EP is almost a two parter with ‘Gravitationskraftens stilla vrede’ and ‘Gravitationskraftens stilla stråkar’ using the same building blocks; that of the sound of a rocket firing up and launching into outer space, which you can hear for yourself on the youtube video bellow. The first track takes the sound and some electro pulses and turns it into a menacing, brooding techno number with acid lines a pleanty while the final track dubs it all out and brings the woosh and drone of the rocket to the foreground for a more ambient affair.

The Stern-Gerlachs Försök EP is a quality listen with plenty of retro electro fun to be had, plus with remixes floating about from Hot City and Grievous to mention but a few there is plenty to get your teeth into.

Buy: The Stern-Gerlachs Försök EP is out now on Highpoint Lowlife

http://www.erikxvi.eu/