trip Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Finnish producer Aleksi Perala brings his brand of melodic, high-concept techno to Nina Kraviz's Trip label for the first time. As usual, the ten tracks here were created using Perala's now infamous "Colundi Sequence" - a micro-tuning method that's now almost better known than the former Rephlex man's music. There's naturally much to admire throughout, from restless club tracks blessed with rainbow-rich waves of melody, to strange, acid-fired wig-outs, low-slung, bass-heavy jack-tracks and glistening fusions of club-ready IDM and ultra-violet ambient. As a producer, Perala possesses a rare skill: the ability to create melodious, experimentally minded electronic music that works on club dancefloors. It's this that makes Paradox such an impressive release.

Review: Mind-bogglingly prolific and eternally on the mark, Aleksi Perala has travelled a long way from his roots as Ovuca and Astrobotnia since embarking on his Colundi quest. Here we are with another wonderful set, this time presented on Trip which might well break his stellar sound to an even wider audience. There are theories behind Colundi which you would need to investigate yourself, but it might be simplest to just plunge into this immaculate techno creation and test the effects for yourself. Spine-tingling harmonic interplay, impeccably balanced sequences and a direct rhythmic approach make this so easy to latch on to, but there's something mystical bubbling away under the surface which elevates this beyond your average techno record.