You’ve got to wonder what it must have been like to hear “Phylyps Trak” when it first came out in 1993. The fact that, 20 years on, it still sounds amazing makes it seem that it would have been pretty mind blowing when it was released. Basic Channel, the duo of Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald, take those Detroit techno chords and run them through a studios worth of German engineered effects. The end result is something otherworldly and was totally unique to them at the time. From there they add a minimally programmed 909 and pretty much set the blueprint for so much of that dub techno that was to come. “Phylyps Base” strips things down and adds some more space to the sonic density. Perhaps a little easier to digest for some. The 12″ closes out with “Axis” which builds on the formula and ups the tempo a bit. Absolutely essential record for any techno head. If you’re going to only own one from Basic Channel, make it this one. Recommended.

• music label: Basic Channel 1993 / 2014

reviewed by Joey Coco 08/2014