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Review
moevalith – Tik Tak Tek Promo
There’s no other way to start this review off before mentioning two things: flow and groove. The set’s structure and the achievement of stretching groove to its limits and beyond is what makes this set stand out and be different. After that just come the questions of curiosity; is it a coincidence that most of the producers are from Germany, is this one complete set or two parts forming an intimidating whole like a double-edged sword and why is moevalith still spinning in his room and not in front of hundreds of pilled out Montrealers?
The set’s beginning, specifically the first three tracks, is probably the best opener for a moevalith promo I’ve ever heard. Using Metope to kick things off, and an older track at that, is unconventional and bold. A brilliant underground rather than underrated producer, Metope’s Gainssaid starts things off slowly with an extremely mellow and easy-on-the-ears harmony and the background beats serve as a great preparation for the next two tracks, the hint of acid reassuring us that there will be some organics involved eventually  . From the genre-less world of Metope’s seals and synths, the gear is shifted to minimal and accompanied by one of its best counter-parts, tek. The game is on, the paving is done and the floor is getting full. Two back-to-back Sweet N Candy’s is the equivalent to the rush of a good overdose of sugar content. My personal favorite moment has to be the electronic meow of Double Dutch, no pills needed to act that one out  . Seamlessly engrossing into one another, they lay the foundations of those two things I mentioned, flow and groove. People have been mentioning it more and more but it really can’t be over-emphasized. The atmosphere that comes in around the 13th minute is the start of one of the better acid songs I’ve heard in a while. I feel privileged to have seen Josh Wink live although I don’t remember him using so much acid in his set. Nevertheless he’s absolutely in his element with it as a producer. Have you ever heard a sweeter smack in a song? The production warrants its own review but the 16:08 pause needs to be given major praise, not to mention the distorted sounds that seem to be materializing out of the speakers as you listen to it. German porn samples are snuck in between the funky riff and psychedelic clanks revealing my favorite mix from the entire set. To hear “Yes babies yes” or “Yes suck it yes, yes” that are part of an ancient Holden acid track is humorous, rare and special. Holden’s version of erotic acid is bridged with an upped tempo and linked to a big room murderer. A track worthy of being spun by Sven Vath, it takes Swirl and Fancy Arse as blueprints for a much larger and more powerful creature. The better half of the Dahlback brothers finalizes what Metope was hinting at 6 tracks ago and stretches that groove to the raver limits with a splash of funk that staples your feet to the dance-floor. 
And now for something a little different…with Conduit, which cools the sweat, loosens the grip and lets you breathe. Odd and quirky tribal with mingled voices open the doors to Extrawelt’s minimal euphoria. Atmosphere like this only comes once in a while and it is no surprise that they are among my top favorite producers at the moment. The second half seems to be stepping out of the first half’s acid bubble in explosive manner; the sharpest part of the second edge comes in full-on maximized power of The Well Served Event and I can’t say too much about it other than the fact that it proves the never changing and always improving nature of this our Electronic Dance Music  . An epic synth coupled with that clean baseline adds James Holden to the previously mentioned DJs as one of three major influences. To move from Tresher and Nasty’s melodic bombardment to Monika Kruse proves to serve a greater purpose when the last track hits. Utterly bouncy, the ride provides for an ongoing build-up and an important player in the closing of the set. Right about 46:46, Preach and Marco G’s track is like the bomb that is released from Cruise’s helicopter. In perfect fashion Bring Back the Wax merges the most prominent elements of the set musically and technically; tek, acid, groove and flow. The territory has become fiercer; the electronic meow has turned into an aggressive bark, the onslaught of vocal samples, including what sounds like the old-school Looney Tunes theme, collide into one another while 51:30 is the bursting moment of joy. Energetic and fun, it leaves you wanting more yet wholly satisfied with what you got. 
These are two parts of one whole, a double-edged sword. The structure of the set is its biggest success because there are two sides being shown that have enough similarities between them for you not to be surprised that it’s all coming from one person. Each track has its own boundaries of groove that are somehow different from the next or previous and to have such a range of tracks displayed together in one set is an accomplishment in itself. It is no coincidence that the majority of the producers are German, when it comes to making good edm only a few countries stand out and only one is undeniably at the top.
Why moevalith isn’t out there spinning this music to the public is surprising and disappointing, but I can see how it can intimidate promoters and others that have heard it and have been asked to help. It’s not your typical sound but I still believe that there are people in Montreal that are not your typical crowd. There are people in this city that understand this exact style of music and they want to hear it, making that “risk” ultimately worth it at the end. With a little luck and patience they will soon.
Best Mix: Wink – Swirl & Avis and Holden – Fancy Arse
Bathroom Break Track: Dan Curtin - Conduit
Personal Favorite: Nasty and Tresher – Well Served Event
Crowd Massacre: Preach and Marco G – Bring Back the Wax
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MT
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... I badly damaged 2 faders.
