Madben - Blooming EP [Ellum]

Maceo Plex’s influential Ellum Audio presents a scorching EP from Madben, which includes a remix from men of the moment, Brame & Hamo.

Frenchman Madben has a deep admiration for Jeff Mills and Detroit techno, which permeates all of his work. He has been championed by Laurent Garnier and has released music on a wealth of quality labels from Bedrock to Suara. A resident at Rex Club in Paris, where he holds his MAAD parties, he is now a regular at Europe’s best clubs, where he offers up his always-deep sounds, something he does again here.

First up is the fantastic ‘Blooming,’ with its old-school rave styles and dusty breakbeats. Euphoric chords light up the whole track, which is sure to get hands in the air. Brame & Hamo are Irish-bred, Berlin-based sensations known for big tunes spanning house to techno to disco. After setting up their own label, they serve up a remix that is wonderfully stripped back. Over deep, rolling drums, elegant synths unfold and take you on a cosmic adventure that is well-paced and cinematic.

Madben’s ‘Enjoy Yourself’ is well-crafted techno with a sense of progression in the constantly evolving lead synths. Rumbling drums provide the power at the base, while filtered and hushed vocals are an intriguing detail up top. Lastly, ‘Haze’ is a stinging track with mental and energetic drums, off-kilter synths that spiral and twist, and a dark, industrial-tinged energy.