Vril seems to have come out of the shadows to deliver his peculiar brand of techno. His music is heavy and dense but moves with a fluidity that would out maneuver even the most tenacious of rivers. His pneumatic, dub influenced techno first came to light through Germany’s enigmatic Giegling label. Their more techno leaning offshoot, Forum, released Vril’s debut album, Torus. The producer’s first single for Delsin, 2014’s Vortekz EP, was apparently so heavy it broke the mastering machine. Portal picks up where Vortekz left us, with Vril taking the listener through various moods and colors as the album runs its course. His ceaseless rhythms drive the compositions ever forward as if digging a tunnel through solid rock. The music is just that powerful. There’s an unstoppable force at the heart of Portal. Each new track reveals another layer of the stone, getting us closer to what is at the core. Standouts include the dubbed out vibes of “Portal 7” and the bouncing chords of “Portal 5.” Step through the Portal into Vril’s world of unyielding techno.

• music label: Delsin 2015

reviewed by Joey Coco 02/2015