Synaptic Cliffs is barely able to contain the excitement for the release of the 4-track EP "Maximalism" where pdqb collaborates with DJ Sotofett in the most effective way. pdqb's sleek and melancholic electro originals carry a sexy 1980s reminiscing vibe, not too unknown from classic US electro disco-styled pop music. They meet warehouse remixes from DJ Sotofett, known for his top-notch electro productions on Clone and Tresor, as well as funky breakbeat, afro-dub and all-things-house on his own labels Wania and Sex Tags Mania. The remix of pdqb's electrocognition-beauty 'Giallactrus' has heavier, almost p-funk styled electro beats, live scratching complementing the block party approach while retaining the vibe of the original. Elysiaamore, pdqb's sonic love letter to Tangerine Dream, gets a bit of melodic menace treatment by DJ Sotofett, turning it into an intensified breakbeat juxtaposition with Junglized B-Boy elements... again without taking away the energy from the original. The vinyl version was cut by DJ Sotofett with optimal club sonics at Manmade Mastering, Berlin.

The Connoisseur's Core and the Club's Call

pdqb - a true connoisseur of sound - was working in its sonic vessel, surrounded by a glowing armada of yet unknown synthesizers and modular gear. It had just completed two tracks, back-to-back, that were pure electronic poetry. These weren't for the main stage; they were for the intimate darkness of a listener's soul. Built on subtle, intricate rhythms, the tracks featured shimmering, melancholic melodies and an incredibly wide, detailed stereo field - the kind that demanded high-fidelity headphones. They were designed to function like a world within itself, introspective and beautiful. "Perfect," it murmured, "for the people who truly listen."

It quickly became clear that the two tracks were too potent to remain solely in the realm of the headphone experience. They needed to be shared, to be felt in a collective space, on a massive scale. "What if we take these beauties," pdqb thought, "and inflate them to the maximum?"

DJ Sotofett, an earthling known for his heavy-hitting, floor-shaking productions, immediately came to mind. pdqb knew the collaboration would bridge the gap between its refined, melancholy sensibility and the visceral energy of the dance floor.
It sent the core stems over with a simple message: "Need to blow this up. Maximum impact. Can you turn the headphone world into a stadium anthem?"

The response was instant and had a definitive, almost challenging tone: "Yeah. Now!"[info sheet from distr.]