acid pauli is a name synonymous with certain aesthetic towards electronic music culture - both a part of the unhooked generation of that grew up experiencing his revelatory sets at places like bar 25 and fusion, and yet deeply rooted in musicality and adventurousness. bld, the second full album from martin gretschmann, (aka acid pauli), builds on his already impressive back catalogue which spans back to 2005, and includes a debut album released on nicolas jaar’s clown and sunset. over the course of the eight tracks here, gretschmann explores some of the many facets that have made him one of the most trusted artists in his field. released on his own (and nico stojan’s) label ouïe - the album is the perfect expression of the imprint’s commitment to diverse, exciting sounds, freed of the conventions of traditional club music. the album covers a number of moods and emotions, from dystopian carnivalesque vibes to moments of high intensity, through to deep melancholia and synth laden ambience. gretschmann’s well documented love of the sampler shines throughout - tracks are textured and colored with different hues from his extensive sound palette, whether it’s a part of his more psychedelic moments, or concentrated on his innate knowledge of dancefloor dynamics. as such bld sits together as a complete piece of music - to be relished just as much by blissed out home listeners as the left-field dancers.
