Fer BR – Shake Your Mind EP

Label: MindshakeScore: 8/10

It’s easy to see why Fer BR has risen so quickly amongst the Mindshake ranks. After collaborating with label boss Paco Osuna at the end of last year, the fellow Spaniard was quickly invited onto the 2013 Mindshake World Tour, playing a pivotal role in such a far-reaching stretch of gigs. Now with his first full EP for the imprint, the idiosyncratic producer demonstrates further why he is such a hotly tipped name for the summer ahead.

“Go Back” is thick slice of darkly hued techno with relentless energy. After quickly establishing a hypnotic groove, the track opens up into pure trance-invoking bursts of sub-bass, synth waves and pumping 4/4s. The tribal chanting only adds to this intense and hallucinatory atmosphere, making this a perfect number for the true heads down, 5am moments.

“Shake Your Mind” is a bass-driven cut that builds a unique groove courtesy of swooping basslines, glitchy FXs and plenty of jangling house samples. The 909 produced rhythm adds a sense of momentum just as the crowd field recordings and vocal samples provide the personality.

Fer BR combines the funky with the driving perfectly on “Ahaa.” Bongo percussion lays down the funky undercurrent of the track whilst pounding bass and thumping kick drums add the drive. It’s an explosive track that sees the producer making full use of some perfectly timed drops and some climatic vocals.

Fer BR drops some typically party influenced techno on his final track of the EP, “Hip Tech Houser.” It is infused with bucket loads of swing and comes with plenty of the kind of bounce that has made Mindshake such a popular label amongst the scene’s hedonists. The energy levels a re ramped, but so is the sense of fun and adventure. We expect big things from Fer BR and when a producer teams up with a label like Mindshake, you know you are in for a ride. The “Shake Your Mind” EP does not disappoint.