Markus Suckut has been a well-known name in modern techno for over a decade. His productions have been at the highest echelon of the genre ever since his very first releases on Stroboscopic Artefacts, released both on his own SCKT imprint as well as various other labels. Blurred Memories II is his third release for André Kronert’s ODD/EVEN, and the second part in the Blurred Memories series. Continuing in the vein of the first release, the EP contains four tracks of subtle, impeccably produced techno suited for both home listening and for the dancefloor.
On the A-side, we have Higher, whose chugging rhythms and low warbling synths ratchet up an enjoyable tension that never quite resolves, while the addition of house percussion keeps the track relatively light with a satisfying groove. Wandering is a nine minute tech house odyssey, with a deep, slinky bassline and a simple melody that becomes a real earworm as it is repeated over the course of the track. Melancholy strings round out the latter half of the track to create an excellent late-night set closer that can bring a club full of ravers to joyful tears.
Take 2 is a straight-forward and somewhat unremarkable mid-tempo stomper, but one that could be used well as a tool, especially the driving drop that leads into the last third of the track. The EP ends with Ecstatic City, another longform track that starts in a dubbed out crackly haze that is suddenly pierced by extremely crisp cymbals, creating an impressive and startling juxtaposition. The unorthodox structure continues as the track diminuendos over time, even as more percussion is added, before coming to an ambient outro. A dreamy and striking track, its an excellent closer to a strong EP.
Blurred Memories II is out now in digital and physical formats on ODD/EVEN’s Bandcamp.