Pan-Pot - Skin On Skin EP [Second State]

Berlin-based duo Pan-Pot kick off 2022 with a momentous milestone for their Second State label, which includes a new look for the long-running imprint. The winning design, created by Philipp Ludwig, was chosen from hundreds of submissions after the label launched a competition in November of last year for this very special occasion. ‘Skin on Skin’ marks Second State’s 100th release and showcases the variety of sounds the label has housed since 2014, with three intense and contrasting cuts from its founders, paying homage to the breadth and expression that Pan-Pot’s imprint has come to represent in today’s techno scene.

The raw cut ‘Skin on Skin’ opens the release. Resonant bongos and rattling maracas introduce a tribal element as sinister synths begin to unfurl. The taunting and slightly distorted vocals of Sandra Bjurman enter the scene, while claps and hoarse organs are layered. Metallic jingles give way again to the vocal, and the twisted elements along with the resonant drums re-emerge at the climax, closed by a soaring Balafon.

‘Particle Fever’ follows, kicking off with a resonant and forceful kick alongside harsh elements: a jumping bassline and metallic hits that stop abruptly. Sharp keyboards burst in during the mid-track breakdown, exploding back into the original rhythm with the addition of a powerful bassline and more raw and minimalist elements.

The closer, ‘Bow,’ is characterized by distorted and pulsating elements that menacingly advance. A rumbling bass roars beneath metallic hits, a oscillating synth, and a cut and grim sample, injecting an unsettling element. Growling synths float lightly as the kick and mechanical elements assertively advance.