Totally bucking the trend, in April 2015, the highly regarded FORMS OF HANDS label festival went into its 15th annual edition – making it truly one of a kind! On this accompanying compilation CD, 14 chosen acts from the HANDS label roster prove in a high spirit and deliver the (exclusive) goods: From chilling, atmospheric techno sounds by SUPERSIMMETRIA or SYYLVGHEIST MAELSTRÖM to crunchy rhythm noise by YURA YURA, MASCHINENKRIEGER KR52 VS. DISRAPTOR or WIELORYB, from the hardcore attitude of ILLEGAL TRADE or 13th MONKEY to the drum’n’noise of WINTERKÄLTE, from bulky beats by TOTAKEKE and SYNTH-ETIK to the noisy groove of S.K.E.T., from the challenging experimentalism of NORM or ANCIENT METHODS to the ethnic beats of AH CAMA-SOTZ, the 14 tracks cover a range of styles – and yet blend perfectly, as does the crowd in the shaft tower, the FORMS OF HANDS home!
Same procedure – this album presents exclusive tracks by all artists appearing at FORMS OF HANDS 2015 in their actual running order: SUPERSIMMETRIA delivers a nice technoid encore to his recent space-themed album. NORM (the MONO NO AWARE side-project) has been in the long grass for a while, the comeback track “Banerje” mixes ethnic samples and grating loops. WIELORYB are in a particularly old school mood, and TOTAKEKE gives us more IDM with balls (like on his recent album “Me.Tem.Psy.Cho.Sis”).
MASCHINENKRIEGER KR52 VS. DISRAPTOR get straight to the point with 140bpm rhythm noise and Berghain darling ANCIENT METHODS’ track is gloriously psyched out and impossible to describe. Winterkälte follow their recent development of infusing their drum’n’noise with a subtle groove, and YURA YURA’s “Jägerinnen” is a sure shot for the rhythm noise dance floor. SYYLVGHEIST MAELSTRÖM delivers one of his intensely rhythmic pieces and ILLEGAL TRADE give us a refill of their industrial hardcore crossbreed sound. 13th MONKEY drop bouncing beats and acid lines, while S.K.E.T. sound quite cheerful. SYNTH-ETIK’s track “Circuits” is decidedly on the industrial side of things and AH CAMA-SOTZ closes the album with an irresistible downbeat ethnic track. An inspired and inspiring compilation album, diverse and valuable!
