[Perlon]

In a recent interview with the Ibiza Voice, Cassy explained her love for the Roland 808 and 909s: “Most of techno and house has been made with these two machines, so it’s a sound we’re familiar with. Even if you don’t know the machine, you recognise it immediately and it feels like home.” It makes sense, then, that a tune as foreboding as “Soul Saviour” (from Cassy’s second Perlon effort, “Nil Desperandum”) would rely heavily upon comforting rattle of an 808 to balance the ominous tone.

The low end is stacked high with pummeling kicks and dual bass lines (one that flares each note like a blown speaker cone pushed yet again beyond its limits; another that substitutes muted color for heft), an arsenal that would test the limits of even a good soundsystem. “Save my soul,” Cassy intones, firing off 808 cowbell clangs and a hobbled over synth vamp to let rescuers know that she’s stuck behind a wall of speaker cabinets. It’s a haunting ditty that betrays its outward restraint with each rewarding listen. Prosumer and Murat Tepeli share a similar love for vintage gear used on untraditional arrangements. Quite the follow up to her Beatstreet debut, “Somelightuntothelight.”

Ms. Modifyier asked me way back in May if I wanted to contribute a mix to her Process series that’s getting rave reviews from the likes of XLR8R. I was more than happy to comply; and after many, many delays chronicled in the piece, my mix has arrived. Check it out.

Tracklisting:

Round Two, “New Day” (Club Vocal Mix) [Main Street Records]
Julien Jabre, “Swimming Places” (Jerome Sydenham Remix) [Defected]
Sleeper Thief, “Freefall” [Sixty Four Records]
Ripperton, “Tainted Words” [Connaisseur Recordings]
Paul Kalkbrenner, “Altes Kamuffel” [BPitch Control]
Rodamaal, “Insomnia” (Âme Remix) [Buzzin’ Fly Records]
Harri & The Revenge, “Lunar Tune” [Five20East]
Tiger Stripes, “Hooked” [Liebe*detail]
Argy, “Love Dose” (Luciano Remix) [Poker Flat Recordings]
Thomas Brinkmann, “128 Rua Villalobos” [Cmyk Musik]
Fabrice Lig, “X-Slaves Who Changed the World” [Versatile Records]