[Bergwacht]

Since Wrong Shirt, his 2010 debut, Till Krüger has been mostly quiet. He’s had just three records since, in fact. Put it down to the demands of getting his architecture degree, or something else, but it seems likely he’s still struggling through the creative funk he and I discussed in a 2011 interview. After all, his field—early Detroit techno and its European incarnations—has been extremely well-plowed. But where so many producers have recognized this and moved to more fertile grounds, the young German stubbornly remains.

If coming up with fresh, Detroit-styled ideas is tough, Krüger does have one thing going for him, though: a great ear for melody. Whether entwining several disparate synth lines or just letting one sequence breathe, he has a knack for making it sound natural. On “Skew,” this quality is especially apparent. Its five sequences—count ’em—range from insistent bass to neon-glazed pad, and move together beautifully. Unless you’re particularly jaded, it’s a track which will fast make you forget the many similar ones which have come before it.

Taking a simpler tack, “Trends” and “Good” aren’t quite so thrilling, but they remain products of the Krüger approach to melody. The former rides on a cushion of fat digital bass and liberally dollops bell-like melodies on top. The latter’s many shades of pastel are more comforting than anything, as if describing a pleasant daydream. Again, neither of these cuts is groundbreaking—and not every track has to be—but they’re ample evidence techno’s earlier forms still have some legs yet.