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Frequency Vs Atkins Mind Merge Out Electronic Recordings

06.04.17

Juan Atkins’ collaborative efforts are becoming the defining feature of the Detroit artist’s output. 2016’s Transport LP, a tense cross-pollination with Berliner and fellow veteran Mortitz Von Oswald under the Borderland name, was one of the defining techno records of the year. And while this new effort with Amsterdam’s Orlando Voorn is a hugely different specimen, the high level of quality is comparable.

Experiments of dub and electro play a part, but the more dancefloor-orientated material on Mind Merge takes the plaudits. Shape Shifting is a superbly produced piece where textures move and scatter around the propulsion, constantly foraging and pushing. Standout track Revolve, with its electronic squeal and raging 130bpm beat, belongs in the biggest of big room techno parties. With the record clocking in at a weighty 75 minutes, however, Mind Merge often has a very heavy feel. What tethers the album is a distinguishable sense of urgency, which despite its length carries enough variation to keep interest throughout. But despite the challenges its weightiness presents, this is a vital slice of compelling techno.