Kölsch: Speicher 68 (Kompakt Extra)

It’s back to basics with this two-tracker on Kompakt’s Extra offshoot. The 68th entry into the series comes from Danish producer Rune Riley Kölsch, a newcomer to the Kompakt stable. His previous output was all under the moniker Ink & Needle, but under his own name Kölsch presents two tracky wonders. The A-side “Loreley” is the one that’s been getting a fair amount of attention from the likes of Laurent Garnier, Hot Chip and Simian Mobile Disco, a schaffel workout that starts innocently enough but undulates and writhes in and out of focus for seven minutes. It sounds like Kölsch is having fun with hardware, changing the gate and release of the main synth pattern, affecting the arpeggio pattern in real-time, allowing it to break down and then snap back into position. The last time he drops the beat out, he throws the arp into high-gear and the track goes from a head-bob to a dense, frenzied anthem. All that said, my attention is focused on the much more unassuming B-side. “Silberpfeil” begins with a tiny backing track and a repetitive, insistent synth pattern. There’s almost no low-end in the mix at first, just the faint resemblance of a kick and mid-range synth patterns. Perhaps this is more typical for Kompakt’s minimal techno repertoire than the A-side, but it’s better — it’s no nonsense and a builder, getting bigger and bigger over time. In fact, the track doesn’t even really hit its full capacity until halfway through when a proper deep kick slams into place. It’s a smart track of slick minimalism, showcasing what Kompakt often does best. As a combo it’s another handsome entry into the Speicher series as well as promising for more material to follow from Kölsch.

Watch/listen: Silberpfeil

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