Rill - Friss [SIDE B]

Format: 12" 180 gram vinyl.

SIDE B returns with the second installment of their recently established label, this time with Rill at the helm. True to his style, the young German producer has honed his percussive approach through a string of consistent releases and performances over the past three years. On his ‘Friss’ EP, Rill delivers three highly concentrated club tracks, closing the project with a remix by Beste Hira, forming a record destined for relentless sound systems and frantic dance floors.

Powerful and mental, Rill develops a viscous atmosphere in the first track, ‘Silky Stones’, making his intentions clear. Skimming a bubbling lead with percussive stabs across a wide stereo field, the producer uses the element of surprise, sharpening the edges with a keen key sequence, doubling the tension of an already hypnotic cut. Wasting no time, the needle slides into ‘Rakija’, with an imposing groove and dry, fast hats. Characteristically, a dystopian melody vibrates over a robust beat to ensure maximum movement. With only two tracks, Rill already demonstrates how to balance his tools with attitude.

Flipping the record, B1 ups the ante with the EP’s title track, ‘Friss’. The techno rule of prioritizing kicks is swept aside by Rill, in favor of an intimidating bassline accompanied by an ecosystem of high-frequency atmospheres. A testament to balance and spatial definition, the German introduces fitting chord stabs in the second half to elevate the tension in a restrained manner.

To conclude, the acclaimed Beste Hira contributes her take on the track, with a drum-driven approach that makes the track spin, versatile for almost any club. Reconceptualizing the rhythmic identity of ‘Friss’, Beste Hira manages to maintain distant atmospheres while emphasizing festivity. Combining the best of groove-centric club music with a touch of niche psychedelia, Rill and SIDE B prove that techno is still very much alive, no matter where in Europe you look for it.