Boris Werner – Acid Casino / Upstairs or Downstairs

Label: Voyage DirectScore: 8/10 

Boris Werner has kept an impeccable track record of creating fiercely hypnotic, otherworldly techno and tech-house.  As he steps forth to release his first EP proper for Tom Trago’s Voyage Direct imprint, the filters are truned up to maximum effect as the Amsterdam legend flexes his muscles on a late night, acid fuelled workout. Recently championed for his never ending DJ skills at a 22-hour set at Studio 80, it seems that the decks are the battery supply for a DJ and producer that go the distance (and then some). 

Boris’ restless imagination runs wild with two tracks that join the dots between vintage Motor City futurism, relentless acid, deep house daydreaming and Jeff Mills‘-style sci-fi fantasies. “Acid Casino” kicks off proceedings, offering a hypnotic, ever-building trip into late-night acid-tech territory. Hazy, eerie and unsettled, it’s heavy analogue drum timbres and rolling pace grabs the attention the listener through a chokehold rhythm. “Upstairs or Downstairs” is a formidably woozy exploration of deep house, loaded and overdosing on a tech house twist; packed with pulsating timbres, haunting melodies and a fluctuating, restless pace. Moody, atmospheric and intoxicating, it rises and falls like a star burning out in slow-motion. On evidence with this EP (the first recorded music from Camp Werner after a while), it seems this invigorating and energy laced star of electronic music is far from burning out. Don’t wake me up just yet, please…