RYAN ELLIOTT Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Ostgut Ton continue their eclectic flow of records in 2013 with Stepmode, a new plate from Ryan Elliot, his second EP on the Berghain affiliated label having served up the Rocksteady EP back in 2011. If there was a way to step to the EP's hurried title track, it would be a quick shuffle thanks to snappy snares, cut up vocals and an off kilter bassline associable with Perlon. The same synthetic vocal buzz from the A-side also haunts the B-side, "Still Steppin", which sounds like a frenetic, bugged out and lo-fi version of Motor City Drum Ensemble's "Raw Cuts 4".

Review:  Part nine of ten in Ostgut Ton's tenth various artists compilation and they're pulling out the big guns now to celebrate proceedings with a big bang. Star resident Ben Klock has taken quite a long hiatus from production but he's still got it, as shown on the tunnelling and cyclical cut "Sirens". Fellow resident and Detroit ex-pat Ryan Elliott serves up the soulful and emotive "Smith Lake" which is brilliant and reminds us of Exos or "Dead Eye" era Baby Ford. Finally resident party animal Len Faki surprises many with the ambient mix of his undisputed anthem "Rainbow Delta" and it is absolutely sublime; you can just drift away to this one, you'll see!