Marcel Dettmann – Conducted

Album Review by Ray Philp | 03 Nov 2011
Album title: Conducted
Artist: Marcel Dettmann
Label: Music Man
Release date: 14 Nov

Invoking the spirit of Europe's favourite techno fortress for the second time since his inaugural Berghain 02 mix, Marcel Dettmann's Conducted offering is another sinewy 60ish minutes of rhythm-led techno. A facile analysis of Dettmann's resolutely eyes-down style of DJing might conclude that Conducted is a purist's pursuit, but it's not without its passages of levity.

Following Bluemoon Production's tape-worn warehouse keys (Night), While You Love Me's salacious latin vocal acts as one of several useful breaks from the mix's simmering intensity, the seedy, child-like vocal of Cheeba Stark's GoGo Bop being another. Conducted's thoughtful feel seems geared towards home listening – Don't Phonk is one of the few out-and-out ceiling smashers – but its slipperiness is a credit to Dettmann's guile. Once Escape Myself's Blawan-esque drum pattern gives way to Shed's best Pantha du Prince impression (44A), you can only admire the precision with which Dettmann orchestrates this expertly compressed hour of Berghain techno.

http://www.soundcloud.com/dettmann