This is the first tune I’ve heard from Stickroth and I’m happy to say it’s a keeper. It’s title spurs great accompanying imagery: You can just see a curious child ascending the steps to the gentle pads, exploring the shadowed and dust-filled depths as the pads swell with cautious melody. Little critters of indistinct noise scamper in and out of focus when… it’s spotted. Although no grand suprise emerges from the box, the joyous interplay between pads and haclyon synth progression suggest whatever was inside provided an entertaining afternoon. The remixes are just as enjoyable. Pablo Akaros switches up the rhythm to one straightforwardly engaging to the dance floor with paper plate snares, a guy carelessly intoning “hey” and a sudden, uplifting drone at the track’s end. Dan Berkson and James What do an even better job with alternate version, “Ghost In the Attic.” Maximizing the impact of the pads’ strain with isolation and reverb, as well as stimulating the imagination with more spooky scrapes and thuds, Berkson and James bring dramatic flair to “Chest In the Attic.” Thanks to Psycho BBQ for this tune; you can find these two remixes there as well if you hurry.

M. Rahn, “Ash”

Another artist with whom I’m just becoming acquainted (oh no, my relative newbie status is showing!), M. Rahn’s new track, “Ash,” is a hint at why his work was included on the legendary Immer. For one, the song’s got some fucking teeth on it; the sheer rumble of the main riff is enough to make DJs check if they’ve blown a headphone. Swapping places with a disturbing squelch, possibly the distorted mating call of a zombie bird of prey, which also grows more menacing by the minute. The two join forces about five minutes in and gleefully terrorize dancers. Wise and adventurous French Touch DJs might want to locate a copy of this to slip between “durr durr durrrr”‘s and wreck some extra eardrums. Always keeping me on the knife’s edge of techno, Oh My Gosh provided me with this tune and many others. One million thank yous.