[Prologue]

Although Samuli Kemppi has yet to become a household name, techno fans took notice when Samuli’s exceptional “Vangel” appeared on last year’s Berghain 02 mix. Since then he’s released only a remix for Peter Van Hoesen’s “Casual Care,” but the coming month sees two new records from the Finnish producer. In addition to the second installment in the Komisch records catalog (the follow up to Van Hoesen’s remarkable inaugural 12″), Kemppi strikes with “No One Can Hear Your Echo In Space,” the sixth transmission from Munich-based Prologue. Prologue have made a name for themselves this year by specializing in “headfuck techno,” which is about as apt a description as one could imagine. “No One Can Hear You Echo In Space” continues the label’s high standards, delivering three tracks of twisted, subtly-mind-warping techno.

“Droning” kicks the EP off simply enough, with constantly descending synth lines and jittery percussive wails, but the magic lies in the smaller things. The slight pitching of hi-hats and the multiple change ups in their phrasing is where you really start to get lost (in a good way). “Joiku” is a more standard cut, with some hums and a nice bass line, but is more likely to bring listeners back to reality than play with their senses. “No One Can Hear Your Echo In Space” gets back into eerie territory with garbled messages and bass tones that could double as a full body massage on a good enough sound system. Kemppi’s take on techno is a refreshing one, and, after a couple years lost in the wilderness, techno is exciting again thanks to labels like Prologue. Expect big things in the future from these two players.