February 18, 2018 - Twin Turbo
Twin Turbo comes at us again with a two-track-thought-thumper of an EP from newcomer Beton. Beton is from Belgium. Beton likes photography. Beton likes dance music. Beton doesn’t waste any time. Beton jumps right in.
‘Directions’ kicks off the mini-journey by laying everything out in the open. Beton has been up on his Turbo Recordings homework, providing a Turbo-esque chugging bass on top of a 909-Turbo-Simple beat, and spoiler alert, this beat stays the same throughout the entire 6:12 track. This is a mean groove, and about the only thing that is acceptable to interrupt it are the dry instructions provided by Wevie Stonder from the infamous ‘Ton Wah (bollard tune).’ The lyrics were pretty silly back in the day, and they remain so, although Beton’s new vision adds some more subtle tension to the heist-ish monologue. The phrase repeats Beton has added are choice; they really push the mood. After about 1,000 listens, I concede that the side chained compression around the vocals is too heavy. This effect does emphasize the whole package on a club system, though.
‘Directions’ flows effortlessly into ‘Keep Breathin’.’ Beton keeps with the theme of vocal instructions, this time provided by legend DJ Deeon, telling the listener to “keep breathing” and “don’t stop” (breathing, we assume). These pieces of guidance may seem like easy, beginner-level life lessons, but for the average club aficionado listening to the techno stress that rolls under the vocals, we can see how one could need all the help one can get. For me, this track, really the whole EP, are definition Sweaty Club Music. This is the kind of dance content that makes tiny, windowless, (literally) underground basement rooms feel like they have cathedral size ceilings that go up so high they get lost in darkness.
I can’t remember Twin Turbo or Turbo Recordings ever putting out a bad record, and if thought they did in the past, the maturing I’ve gone through since that time would certainly render my old opinion obsolete. Beton is in good company with the Turbo crew, and we here in the office are mad excited for what he’s got in store this year. 🍍