Falling Apart — FA015RMX

Written on 02.05.2022 by Andrijan Apostoloski

The fifteenth installment of the Falling Apart vinyl label from Frankfurt brings us diversified neo-trance and techno blends from various of producers. Radiating energy throughout, this release holds remixes from multiple releases by the label, starting with TRANCEMAN2000’s two releases, the last Jonas Kopp and others.

Even if trance gets its appearance very frequently with techno lately, this is a techno release first and foremost, however the spices used in the whole sonic universe definitely brings up much of the old-school trance elements from the proper decades when that’s in question. This is no progressive trance, no gimmicks and make-up with billions of effects and fake build-ups like those found in shitty and popular stuff and even the rotten staple of what is called tech-house. No, no… this is the brutal straight-forwardness and proper game of sounds which is already a Falling Apart trademark, and continues the tradition to bring more quality to vinyl, and stay one of the best kept gems when underground techno labels are in question.

First is the A side of the vinyl with Blue Hour’s remix of TRANCEMAN2000’s Bloodrave, it’s astonishing and pumping with bliss of that neo-trance I was talking about, while staying true in its nature and delivering proper grooves, especially when played on the dance-floor. It’s fast-paced, it’s powerful and it gets you right away. This is not a tool — this is a nuclear weapon, and don’t let my loss of words under-appreciate the entry at all. I can just say you’ll know when you hear it for yourself.

The release continues with another TRANCEMAN2000 remix, this time by Bauernfeind. I’m not certain if a sound theme was given for this release in particular, however Bauernfeind manages to completely thrive in a similar atmosphere of the first one, and build an old-school banger which is essentially rhythmic-driven techno to the max. The breakdown is so old-school, and colorful or ‘smiling’ for sure.

Jonas Kopp gets remixed by Alpha Tracks, and this is when the release gets a more serious tone in some way. The kicks punch through with huge amount of power, managing to be hypnotic in a repetitive sense and build a universe of sound as the track develops. The Slavic samples get an epiphany as they start to play along big sounding pads and a very refined acid bassline in the background. The elements are few but very well picked and timed, definitely artillery but of another kind, the one that gives you energy when the rave ends and gives you light and hope, gives you this ecstasy of a feeling that stays with you after all that dancing and being a slave to the hypnotics that techno brings. The light at the end of the tunnel.

The Falling Apart name – of the label itself, DJ and producer as well — appears on the B side of the vinyl with a remix of Skudge. This is a different one, we can kind of forget everything that the first three tracks were, and imagine ourselves at the middle of the rave. The stab bass with the rhythm has an insane but simple groove, one of those tracks that just make you head-nod, and your body just gives itself without a single consideration. The acid enters around the middle of the track and it gets wilder as it accompanies the rest of the track until the very end.

TRANCEMAN2000 once again appears, this time with remix from Svagila. The build-up proceeds to put us in a peaceful universe, sounding like a drum and bass track that’s rich with melodies all over. It’s like the come-down of the whole epiphany that this release is about. The proper build-up and energy of all tracks before being put down with a sweet hug, a necessary element for a release that simply has everything needed to bring us a story in music.

The FA015RMX release is not simply about boom-boom-boom. The test recording itself got a ‘SLAVA UKRAINI’ engraving to it, and the whole philosophy of rich and energy packing sound definitely accompanies what Falling Apart is about — no gimmicks, no being quiet, but be part of the underground in the truest essence. All of the tracks are whole journeys by themselves, and the groove never ends – from the very start until the end. This release knows what it is, what it’s planning to deliver and succeeds completely. This is not a vinyl with tools and just tracks for the sake of existing, no. Even if all are remixes, these tracks are universes of their own and bring a completely fresh spice of groove techno blended with elements of neo-trance throughout.

FA015RMX is getting released on 1st July on vinyl and digital and you can pre-order it now on Bandcamp.