430 West Schallplatten & CDs

Review: The mighty Octave One brothers from Detroit have been knocking it out of the park for decades. Their live show informs the way they make music and thus lends it a scintillating and ever-dynamic feel as showcased again by this new EP on their own 430 West label. 'Tiers (Level A)' kicks off and is a big, stomping techno cut with a warm heart and undulating synths which cruise along and take you with them. 'The Bearer (Brother's Burden)' then comes in two parts with Karina Mia's yearning vocals over big, hulking and cavernous kicks.

Review: Fresh from exploring the more downtempo side of their musical inspirations on Contemplate (a mini-album credited to Octave One presents Never on Sunday), the Burden brothers return to the dancefloor with their first full-throttle techno release of 2022. A-side 'The Blue Drift' is faintly foreboding, with typically intergalactic lead lines rising above a moody, sci-fi-fired Motor City techno groove. While it very much sounds like an Octave One release - with low-end weight to match - it's arguably more atmospheric and clandestine-sounding than much of their most celebrated material. They continue with this vibe on the more dense and percussive flipside cut 'It-Just-Is', a sweat-soaked affair full of metallic-sounding percussion hits, echoing melodic refrains and breathless sub-bass.

Review: The dynamic duo Octave One starts off 2024 with a new EP that features new versions of two of their own classics and a brand new song. 'Price We Pay' has two remixes featured here, with the both being massive main stage crowd pleasers. 'Mirror Image' is a slick downtempo track that shows the pair's creativity for making great dance music. Last, the new version of 'A Better Tomorrow' is updated to be more futuristic and spacey. Messages From The Mothership Volume 1 are a great sign of things to come as Octave One explores more of their long and impressive discography.