Staff Reviews

Peter Van Hoesen - Entropic City

Review by n

Techno might be back in vogue and winning new listeners, but there’s nothing on Entropic City to woo a potential new audience, but it will be more than enough to excite the already converted and techno purists.»

User reviews

• 6/10 by chrispower

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Since his 2006 techno debut 'Increments' Peter Van Hoesen has been fine-tuning his intriguing interpretation of electronic dance music. His former experimental disguises Object, RM and Bent Object all saw albums released between 2001 and 2005. After a remarkable run of 12" singles in 2009, Peter now presents Entropic City, his first full-length techno album.

Entropic City is released on his own Time To Express imprint as a ten-track CD and digital album. It follows the release of "Entropic Minus Six" which contains four of the album's tracks on 12" vinyl.

Right from the start Entropic City showcases a knowledge of electronic music's rich and diverse past. However, instead of indulging in a nostalgia for classic sounds and patterns, Peter has set out to create his own template. He brings forward his love for solid, sweaty techno, while at the same time opening up towards a slower, stretched-out sense of composition. As a result this album sums up nicely what techno anno 2010 could be: distinctly forward-looking and simultaneously aware of past achievements.

'Into Entropy' kicks off the album with a grinding, industrial-strength groove: the first in a series of slow, bass-heavy tracks. 'Republic','Closing The Distance/Toy Universe and 'Testing A Simularum' all share an identical approach: time frozen into a locked groove, providing space between the beats for subtle details and extended bass tones to fully develop themselves. These tracks combine a familiar style with an explorative, more experimental approach.

'Dystopian Romance' propels the listener back to dancefloor territory, featuring Peter's signature sound and widescreen, cinematic textures. 'Terminal' kicks things up a notch, exploring subbass levels through a kick drum travelling up and down scales alongside a bleepy, acidic bassline. From there on we are deeply locked into Entropic City, with 'Strip It, Boost It' and 'Quartz #1' exploring different sides of PVHs particular 4/4 universe. 'Strip It, Boost It' envelops the listener with a sleazy sequence of metallic percussion. These percussive elements collide with each other, creating a modulated melody. Sizzling 909 hihats and a deep, pulsating bassline provide the additional groove. "Quartz #1" stands for raw, chopped-up machine funk, creating tension through the twists and turns of a strangled, spastic slap-bass riff and crunchy claps.

'Colony/Return Of The Object' hints slightly at Peter's former experimental Object monniker. Its broken beats and quirky melody team up with a highly accurate sound design and a keen sense of funk. It results in a nervous, steppy track for abstract dancefloors. Finally, proceedings are brought to a close with 'Defense Against The Self', completing the journey into the atmospheric outskirts of Entropic City.
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