Ner\ogris
Silenci
Fakenoise
The debut of German duo Ner\ogris was a sleeper favourite of ours in 2023 thanks to its subtler than usual read on dark electro, combining smooth modern programming with just a bit of classic abrasion, while taking a more moody and minimal approach to composition than most of their peers or influences. That’s a style they continue to ply on this six track EP. They still have one foot in Vancouver school industrial – there’s a good amount of recent FLA in the chugging “Decay” – but the brooding pulse that guides more representative pieces like the unfolding cyber lope of “Konsens” and the confident midtempo swagger of “Mainframe” feel like a more integrated blend of cinematics and 21st century European electro. By the time closer “Legacy” cashes in the EP’s chips by pitting some classic dark electro chimes against a progressively building frame of piano, kicks, and groaning industrial ambiance, Ner\ogris have made out well by playing things close to the chest.
Sintex Bortexx
Ask Yourself
Samo Records
The pleasure in listening to Ask Yourself by Argentinian duo Sintex Bortexx lies in how unreconstructed their take on classic New Beat and NRG sounds are. While there have been plenty of modern takes on those styles in recent years, very few acts capture the funk and grind of their original era so faithfully. The title track wastes little time setting up it’s burbling groove, spicing it up with simple synth leads and repeated vocal samples that ping pong across the stereo field. It’s a simple enough formula – establish a groove and then add and subtract layers of synth and percussion – and Sintex Bortexx prove themselves able when it comes to keeping the beats fresh and unrepetitive. They also embrace the versatility and range within each sound; “Tango Alpha Romeo” dips into acid and EBM territory with its rattly bassline and tweaked leads, pointing towards the classic sounds of Bigod 20 and Microchip League, while “Contact Radar” has proto-trance elements baked into its spacey delayed leads. The remixes of each track keep very much in line with the project’s ethos; of specific note is Curses’ take on “Tango Romeo Alpha” under his Tutto Vetro moniker, amping up the bounce and spacing out each element in the mix to give it a classic dub feel.
