increasingly known for his productions as much as his storied dj sets, eric cloutier approaches the studio with the same kind of precision that marks out his club and festival appearances. on this first release on palinoia he exercises a keen sense of control over playful elements, not least on lead track “heuristic”. the nagging lead synth may hop around the mix, but it stays locked on to a thoroughly focused undercarriage of drums and low end that suits the professional techno set. “ipseity” is lighter in its demeanor thanks to some calming pad tones, but the strong structure of the track remains. the release rounds up with the slower thump of “opprobrium”, surmising cloutier’s attitude to the warm-up part of a serious, long-lasting dj set.