Decks, EFX & 909

At no other stage in the history of human civilisation have there been more Ministry, Cream and I***a 2000 compilations attempting to recreate the pounding sounds of the club PA on home stereos.

What puts Richie Hawtin a notch or two above every other superstar muppet offering is a steadfast dedication to testing the limits, and pushing the expectations of audiences.

Decks, EFX & 909 is named in acknowledgement of Hawtin's current modus operandi of fusing the cream of contemporary techno with his own sonic twists using a Roland TR-909 drum machine. Hence, this is easily one of the more challenging mix albums available today.

Decks is grindingly heavy yet energetically funky, skewering the 4/4 formula with constant embellishments from the EQ levels and mixer. It beautifully illustrates that anyone can play a bunch of records - but it's being able to utilise a set of decks as an instrument in its own right and make it sing, that separates the men from the boys and the women from Sister Bliss.

Ultimately there may be no substitute for these tracks booming out of the club speakers played live by the man himself. But this monster 38-tracked beast of a long player is something that no self-respecting techno boffin can afford to be without.