Terrace – Perks EP

Just mention ‘Terrace’ in a techno environment and soon someone else will shout “pioneer!” As Florence, Terrace and (half of) Acid Junkies, Brabant-based producer Stefan Robbers was at the flying centre of Dutch techno in the early 1990s.

Perks is Robbers’ fifth EP for Delsin in a relatively short time. On the one hand, it contains his signature sound: melancholic melodies and complex drum patterns wrapped in outstanding production; on the other, Perks surprises on many fronts.

For starters, the overall vibe is a lot more sombre, the chosen route much more experimental. Take ‘Model A’, a dreamy, 12 minute-long meandering epic that nods to the kraut-infused electronica of Tangerine Dream and Cluster but at the same time proudly carries the techno DNA.

A fascinating return of a true pioneer.