Mixed by Polished-born, Detroit-raised Magda, fabric 49 is the latest installment of the iconic fabric compilation series.
 
In contrast to the heavy tribal drums in Radio Slave’s fabric 48, Magda, who is one of the most renowned artists from Richie Hawtin’s Minus label, adopts a more minimalistic approach here. Indeed, with the hybridisation of house and techno over the past couple of years, creating a fresh-sounding minimal techno compilation nowadays is no easy task at all; however on fabric 49, Magda has done a brilliant job. In fact, although there are dark, bleepy and glitchy minimal tracks in the mix, such as Boosty’s Telescope and Farben’s Aufschlag/Abschlag, it is not quite right to define it as minimal techno compilation straightway, as various types of sounds apart from purist minimal have been deployed.
 
‘The mix is inspired by Italian horror film soundtracks from the '70s…. I chose tracks which were somewhat experimental along with dance tracks I like,’ says Magda. No wonder the mix features the dark, ambient affair Tierbeobachtungen by Jan Jelinek and Magda’s very own Draculan Love Attack, which possesses a creepy and cinematic feeling. There are also dark electronic pop/disco tracks adding slices of melodies to the mix, such as the vocal-embedded Non-Revival Alarm by Circlesquare, and the playful Heavy Whispers by Yello.
 
Not only does this compilation reflect Magda’s conceptual brilliance, but it also showcases her expertise on the technical side of DJing. All 33 tracks are meticulously programmed and clinically segued; therefore, the progression is so subtle and fluid that the dark and suspenseful mood can be sustained throughout the whole mix. Rather than emphasising individual tracks, the mix focuses on their dynamics to generate a holistic picture that keeps the listener in suspense.
 
Sophisticatedly crafted, this compilation captures the forward thinking, technology-driven ethos of Minus. And with the upfront tracks by her collaborators on the label including Marc Houle, Gaiser, Hobo, Heartthrob and Click Box, this compilation is a must-have for any fans of Minus.