Absurd minted its Acid Test series in January with Tin Man’s Acid Test 01, and have spent the year releasing moody house and techno from the likes of Donato Dozzy, Holger Zilske, and Achterbahn d’Amour. Acid Test 05 sees Achterbahn d’Amour — the German duo of Iron Curtis and Edit Piafra — return for their second edition, backed with a typically minimal remix by Skudge.
In spite of its title, “Trance Me Up (I Wanna Go Higher)” is neither trancey nor particularly anthemic. Led by jacking snares and hi-hats, the track combines cavernous subs with a round, hollowed-out bass line. Intermittent rising pads and organ stabs do lend a sense of drama, but its underlying frantic, bleepy flourishes keep it from reaching the title’s ideal. “Adult Movies,” meanwhile, is a slowly loping electro piece, as sub-bass merges with a somber melody and shrouded vocoder incantations. It’s not nearly as jam-packed as its predecessor, and its reliance on a restrained, eerie atmosphere takes it a long way. Finally, Skudge have a crack at “Trance Me Up.” As is their wont, the Swedish duo drain most of its excess, leaving what sounds very much like one of their originals. Its rhythm is speedy, slender and slightly off balance, and apart from a creeping acid line and some very slight pads, it’s quite stark. The tracks on Acid Test 05 markedly differ from one another, and while this opens it up to a range of tastes, it does so at the cost of cohesion.
What does ”As is their wont”mean??
I like the sleazy synth line on “Adult Movies”.
“What does â€As is their wontâ€mean??”
As is their habit of doing.