Young Italian duo Reform return to Second State with their latest release,
four tracks of innovative, hard-hitting and unusually sophisticated techno.
The throbbing kick and trippy synths of “Close Encounters” opens the EP,
with a foreign, clipped vocal and breaksy jungle elements adding further
interest and mystique. “Stance”, meanwhile, is a straight-up stomper
packed with ricocheting percussion, rubbery synth blasts and disorienting
pads, all crying to be heard in a club. “Mind Control” demands to rain down
on a crowd at a festival, too. A lean, nimble build steadily escalates into an
irresistible, shuffling beat boosted by shifting, bouncy synth patterns and an
unrelenting forward momentum. The pair’s unusual knack for blending
disparate elements into something atypical but completely danceable is
perhaps best demonstrated on “Horse Riding”. The drums are tribal, the
stabs are acid-like, there’s a gauzy filter laid over the top, and tickling hihats, but also an undeniable thump commanding bodies to move.
Put simply, this dream team from Tuscany are making music well beyond
their years that stands up beside the work of veterans (and is often more
interesting). We’re honored to have Reform back at Second State![info sheet from distr.]