Bleep

Many albums in Anthony Child's back catalogue are genuinely necessary documents of the Birmingham scene, brought to national attention through his House Of God and Downwards connections and globally with records on Tresor and even Editions Mego. You couldn't go wrong with any of them, but under his Surgeon material is a particularly solid slab of techno lessons from 1997. Basictonalvocabulary showcased Child's mastery of the darkened modes of minimal four to the floors. His sense of rhythm is unshakable as always, but here it's infected with a focus on synth melodies and an all enveloping grainy ambience. The metallic clunks of collapsing scaffolding introduce the record, neatly preparing for its warping and shaping of synthesis and steadily pulverising drum patterns.

Surgeon unravels an array of timbral and percussive experiments without straying from the vigour of techno. Tangles of softly distorted synth melodies verge on poppy and bouncy while the four to the floor forges on with its clobbering beats. ‘Krautrock’ names his influences explicitly as it pushes motorik into Motor City with hardcore thumps gradually layering up, while ‘Movement’ flips the dancefloor on its head with rhythms that slip and slide over each other in a labyrinthine display.

From Detroit to Birmingham and beyond, Surgeon plays with the lexicon of techno on Basictonalvocabulary, an album precursive to smokier and more relentless efforts yet occupying a classic position within his discography.