In a way it’s frightening that it’s coming up for 20 years since I reviewed Slam’s first single, ‘Eterna’, before embarking on a mission which, until recently, saw me strive to review every thing they did [and also put out on their equally-as-long-running Soma label]. It did come as a surprise at first to see their name emblazoned on another label, but the fact that it’s Adam Beyer’s Drumcode makes perfect sense. It also appears to have given Stuart MacMillan and Orde Meikles a licence to get down to exercising their unparalleled knack for pure killer techno, guaranteed to boot off the DJ sets they still uncork around the world. Slam albums have always been notable for their unflinching progression, furthering the course of electronic dance music as they go, but here there is nothing more at stake than blowing off the roof and detonating the collective turbo-keks of the techno massive. That’s not to say that Slam have abandoned the attention to detail which means one hi-hat click can alter the whole feel of the track either. Both ‘Maffaking’ and ‘Last Sonic Approach’ are built on subtly-developing, shifting rhythmic undertow underpinned by basslines so colossal it will feel like a radioactive blue whale is masturbating under the dance floor. Over this pulsating force field, ‘Maffaking’ introduces dark swirls which appear like storm clouds before swelling with evil intensity. By deftly manouvering these simple-but-deadly ingredients Slam create a constantly-shifting monster for nearly eight minutes. ’Last Sonic Approach’ lays a glowing synth motif over its equally-as-malevolent groove, hitting some mesmerising stretches in the process. Any of these two will be the ones to watch this summer and I couldn’t be happier.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
