Sigha, one of the best techno producers from the UK is about to hit us with his second EP on Token Records.
However, 1 of the 2 tracks lets down his repertoire of consistently honed releases. New Puritan falls into the trap of alternating bell sounds that blanket the rest of the song. It’s smooth when it breaks out into ambient synth, but it’s not quite clear whether the ringing throughout the track is pleasant or just makes you appreciate when it’s gone. Ideal for when the crowd needs to be thrown off with something off-kilter. Think Syclops’ Jump Bugs. There’s just better uses of this elsewhere that render New Puritan a little redundant. Sigha’s own Puritan from 2012 is itself a more well-adjusted and finished track. Or otherwise, Sigha’s Desire, from the Blueprint release Pluralism, utilizes a similar bell sound that makes the track better, not worse. But it’s not that the track and the EP don’t have their strengths. Listen below:
Sigha’s not at his strongest here, compared to 2015 EP Our Father/A Better Way Of Living. However, Christ Figures compensates for it’s sister track through genuine sincerity and an ascending kick drum. Where New Puritan fails in its painful sample, Christ Figures succeeds with sprinklings of staccato melodies and gentle percussion. It leads you on with what sounds might become, but never actually do. A slice of perfectly pared back techno.
Although, it’s up to you how this relates to ‘Christ figures’. Music inspired by religion and faith brings up the question of where spirituality fits into the techno scene. Hopefully artists will provoke these discussions. Sigha has at least got it 50/50 on this record. The EP is out on August 19th through the heavyweight Token Records, in digital and 12” format. You can keep up with Sigha through his Facebook.