Paul Renard - Fluctuation
Exploring space through rich, acidic grooves that erode time with hypnotic polymetric loops. Paul Renard shines at the building blocks of acid on this latest EP, Fluctuation (2023). The Dutch producer, known for acid house and techno, debuts on Acid Works. This Warsaw-based label has been churning out releases since 2022, with Fluctuation being the 7th this year. The Gritty texture-rich drums, most likely corroded by the gallons of concentrate pH this record is drenched with, are rough and ready, stripped down to distorted minimalism, keeping the whole experience raw and exciting.
Paul Renard keeps things ambiguous, burying vocal samples in the mix amidst the psychedelic acid lines bathed in reverb on 'Five Steps to Heaven'. This adds well-earned depth to the record as the vocals become rhythmic tools. The same can be said for 'Purple Nights' as its beat is swung to all hell with a hydrochloric bite in the percussion and heightened with the 303 starting to incorporate siren-like sounds, becoming a sure-fire club favourite. 'Lost in Thought' captures similar dynamic energy through its sour and bubbling bass. The group on this one has a swagger, attitude, and a whole lot of sass. Blurry chords melt away underneath gurgling basslines on 'Marceau Mystique' while still retaining a gargantuan presence like the maw of huge warehouse doors. In-your-face kicks and an acid line that attempts to jump out your speakers. Paul Renard shows what acid is all about in this last one, with the same repetitive, hypnotic line undergoing different iterations.
Tracklist:
Five Steps to Heaven
Lost in Thought
Purple Nights
Marceau Mystique
Label: Acid Works (2023)
Paul Renard - Fluctuation
