[7even Recordings]

French producer F (born Florent Aupetit) works in the broadly defined dubstep-techno crossover zone inhabited by artists like Dave Huismans (2562 and A Made Up Sound), Paul Rose (Scuba and SCB), Martyn and René Pawlowitz (Shed, STP, and EQD). Energy Distortion, his debut full-length for 7even Recordings, bundles three prior EPs (Energy Distortion Parts 1-3) with several bonus tracks, and while this somewhat characterizes it as a compilation there’s a crystalline coherence throughout. There are no superfluous forays into new genres, nor are there moments that depict a relatively young producer still finding his footing. Each track tightly rolls, containing the sort of intensity that increases tenfold when played loudly. Brimming with confidence, it’s the product of an artist with a refined vision and an instinct for crowd-moving structures.

Even so, an album of dance floor tracks can be a trying proposition. Energy Distortion can sag a bit when listened to the whole way through because of its consistency. As with the work of the aforementioned producers there’s a recurring infusion of a somber grayness, the sound of a lengthy and deeply weeded succession of rainy days. There are occasional flashes of tone color; on standout track “See the Light” chirpy organ tones echo and float among hectic pseudo-tropical rhythm patterns. It isn’t exactly a rush of euphoria, but it offers welcome respite in the context of the album, the “light” figuratively breaking through the clouds. “Hologram” is similar, with blankets of bleary melody drifting through a frenzy of percussion. These are exceptions, however, and for the most part wistful dub-techno atmospherics saturate these tracks.

After the spare “Intro,” which does a solid job setting the album’s overcast mood, woozy tones introduce “Shift.” It maintains a fairly traditional dubstep structure, a delayed half-step pattern which intermittently pauses to allow the tones to come to a head before restarting, underpinned by thick subs. Released earlier in the year with an outstanding Untold remix, the title track is a clear highlight. “Energy Distortion” is all build and release, opening with tense rolling drums which, coupled with echoing vocal fragments and swirling drones, lend it an ominous, primal feel. This opening section pauses briefly, allowing the omnipresent sub bass and shimmering dub-techno chords to appear alongside a dramatic bleepy harmony. As soon as the elements form a seething mass the rhythm again drops out, only to reemerge with even thicker bass. When parts begin to disappear one expects another similar breakdown, but the track merely ends. Aupetit could’ve surely continued this captivating trick for several more minutes.

“Another Place” leans close to UK garage laced with a slightly wobbly bass line and taut chords, though it maintains a continuous shuffle rather than the stop-start pummeling of the title track. A few tracks later, “On the Corner” manages to congeal the rhythmic strategies of “Energy Distortion” and “Another Place.” F even approaches the Basic Channel/Chain Reaction axis in style with “0907,” which is driven by some truly monstrous kicks but contains a offbeat shuffle in defiance of their respective catalogs. As with the rest of the record, Aupetit’s concern seems to be subduing the dancer’s thoughts, numbing the mind by keeping everything repetitive and stark but the drums. While many of his contemporaries utilize melodic hooks and r&b vocals, F forces the listener to engage with the rhythm alone. That said, the warbling, elastic chords of “Spacewalker” contain a funkiness that’s quite welcome after the preceding barrage of moody drum tracks, displaying an impressive interplay between its elements. At their most robust, it’s difficult to deny the finesse of F’s productions. The unrelenting mood and relative dearth of melody may make listening to Energy Distortion in its entirety somewhat daunting, yet it’s clear Aupetit recognizes how focusing on less can often yield more.