Shlomi Aber is clearly very talented. Anyone who can slip between glistening downtempo soundscapes (on his debut album), jittery stripped-back house (‘Freakside’), gorgeous, uplifting fluffy electro-tech (‘After Love’) and the electro house he used to make with such brilliantly-executed results throughout is definitely not your normal kettle of fish.
This release for Josh Wink’s label is another revelation in the book of Shlomi. ‘Tokyo Shanghai’ is absolutely devastating – a sexy, mischievous slice of minimal techno with a simple but infectious bass groove, miniscule, shuffling shakers and tiny hi-hats, and a wonky synth hook that’s just the right (or possibly wrong) side of twisted. If you thought ‘Freakside’ was tasty, this is like the next level of Shlomi Aber techno. It’s very different sounding to your usual minimal techno – it’s got a real spring in its step, a very naughty feel, and a truly unique combination of sounds. Hard to describe – just do yourself a favour and get it. ‘Quivvery’ on the flip isn’t groundbreaking – but is a very enjoyable piece of tense, set-building acid and stuttering white noise that grunts, gurgles and squelches without much variation – but has a cool, crisp quality to it that will ensure it stands out in sets.