Roots Of Time

The spanish duo Exium has been working non stop for almost ten years, both on stage and in the studio. After releasing more than 50 releases in several labels from around the map, this year they will release their first full lenght album under the Nheoma records flag. A mature work that explores the darkest corners of electronic music creation, seriously and scientifically. The album starts with Thrasflow, a precise and punchy number where the arpeggiated synths and deep drum programming are the starring alongside drones, chords and sweepy atmospheres. Avoid the ritual goes gives a more complex perspective, abstract analog lines, evolving chords and complex drum work that reminds the best US techno tradition. Front Line starts on a moody vibe, with an IDM like sequence that mutates in a solid techno track as the minutes go on, with drums constantly growing and reshaping giving an Axis feel. A track for dancing with ears and feet. Damage inc. is a broken beats exercise, dubstep flavoured drum programming mixed with sweeping drones and analogue workout, perfect for a break on a 4 to the floor mix. Roots acts as an obscure interlude: frequency sweeps and breathing drones over a subtle breakbeat that lies behind. Synchro bring us again to academic techno, obsesive arpeggios, compact beats and agressive stabs. Pure floor filler. Time is a transition track, cosmic flavoured, the soundtrack of a space station working at night. The perfect intro. Alphanumeric shows the coldest face of the duo, raw drum structures, metallic synths, concrete percussions and floaty details. Roots of Time closes this great album, resuming on one track all the feelings shown on the previous tracks, abstraction, rhythm and futurism, as techno should be.