Pantha du Prince - Black Noise

Hendrik Weber aka Pantha du Prince has always operated at the accessible, super-melodic end of the techno spectrum and Black Noise is being touted by many as the album that will take minimal mainstream. Certainly all the elements are in place for a major crossover - inking a deal with Rough Trade and securing Animal Collective's Noah Lennox for a vocal collaboration have put his indie stock through the roof - but in truth hyping this album as minimal is disingenuous. Although Weber pays lip service to the minimal aesthetic this music draws from a deep well of formal influences: restless melodic loops simultaneously recall classic Warp and modern ambient; electro and house hooks are generously deployed and the aforementioned Noah Lennox collab is simply a gorgeous straight-up pop song. Those looking for a serious minimal trip should check the latest by STL and Emptyset, for everyone else this will serve as a fantastic foot in the door to an often misunderstood genre. [Mark Shukla]