A2 – Milès Borghese – Sustain [9FINITY005]

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Secretsundaze’s 9FINITY adds another serious EP to its growing collection, this time from rising German-born Austrian-based producer Milès Borghese. Operating on the outer-regions of modern club music, 9F has found a solid habitat for artists who push genre boundaries and refuse the notion of ever being condemned to one singular sound. The output extends outside anything you can imagine, but expect blasts of colourful techno, electro, breaks and prog from the array of exciting artists that feature on this label. 005, the ‘Antic Drive’ EP dives into the intricate and club-induced identity of Milès sound, and showcases his deft ability to combine peak-time dark Detroit techno with other minimal tracks that expand the deeper realms of his mind.

A1 ‘Do You Ever Fantasize’ tentatively approaches the action with a subtle yet curious intro, lurking beneath a plume of dark atmospherics and low frequencies while teasing the track’s phat kick. Amidst the tension, you feel like something dangerous is around the corner. The slick hats and snares come into play at varying times, as the trippy vox repeatedly asks the question ‘Do you ever fantasize?’, heightening the track’s hypnotic intentions. The track progresses deftly and with urgency into a dark chamber of pulsating techno. It’s a serious little steppa that has the power to take control of the D-floor and raise the vibration, taking you down a wormhole of trepidation and expectation.

A2 ‘Sustain’ remains on the intensity bullet train, a dark and mysterious cruiser that simmers beneath the surface but engages like it’s ready to max out at any given moment. The gnarling, wonky bass emits a serious groove and provides a vigorous engine for the track’s low-end. Tainted percs bounce off each other like they’re fighting inside the Hadron Collider, and the sleazy hat-play allows for the D-floor to let loose to this nifty mid-set weapon. The objective on this one is building the groove whilst not letting it spill out of control, the perfect club tool for raising the energy.

B1 ‘Antic Drive’ is a cold and textural open-space, providing a serious curve-ball track that operates with a completely different exoskeleton. Unlike the club-ready potency of the A-side, ‘Antic Drive’ focuses on intricate detailing and minimalistic pleasure. It feels like an alien invasion, ultra-fine drum-play is fused with a menacing bass and laser synth combo that projects its beam on all perimeters of the track’s space. There’s also some alien vox that appears to scarily mutter a series of commands that are intentionally distorted and difficult to understand, increasing the helpless hysteria of this out-of-body experience.

The B2 ‘Mateo Does’ transports out of the minimal realms of its predecessor and closes the EP with a familiar dose of peak-time activity, but goes one deeper on the emotional side. Setting the tone early on with a clash of shifty percs and heavily swung drums, the bass emerges with a beautifully menacing groove, not allowing itself to overpower the spaces and instead opting to dance between the beats. Halfway through, an angelic pad rises into the action, raising the vibe of the track into celestial territories to make this track a shifty spiritual stomper.

There’s also two digital bonus tracks to occupy the physical vinyl release. ‘Thurin’ is a stunning and introspective slice of techno, providing another art piece for the EP. Similar to ‘Antic Drive’, its intentions are away from the club and instead focused on translucent relaxation, enjoying in the comfort of your home or on a brisk walk with a cold chill hitting your face. Milès merges icy acid synths with pearly pads and swirling percs amidst an auteur-esque atmosphere, as the distorted notes reverberate in your mind like a complex, contemplative dream.

‘What Not’ is the other digital bonus, and Milès once again shows his production flexibility with a track that stands alone with its own style. A sleek and nimble, downtempo electro track that makes solid use of some deftly chopped vox, mysterious atmospheres and space-like synth notes, with just the right amount of moody bass to inject a strut into your step. It’s a curious track and feels open-ended, encouraging you to feel a variety of emotions and create your own interpretation inside your headspace.

Stream the B1 ‘Sustain’ in full on our Soundcloud: