Catcher

Aurinko’s second compilation Catcher was released back in 2001, provoking widespread response from around the world. Here in Toronto the Aurinko sound fit like a glove, as this release coincided with the rise of the post-millenial cybergoth subculture. Outside of Germany, Toronto was probably one of the few areas of the world experiencing this interesting fusion of industrial & goth with the psychedelic side of trance and techno. The sound of Tim Schuldt and the Four Carry Nuts went perfectly with this rising trend, and several tracks off this compilation were played frequently at memorable events around the city. In Japan, Equinox also released a special edition of Catcher with a bonus disc covering Aurinko’s vinyl releases from the previous years, which is also worth tracking down. On with the review…

Faithealers is Kris Kylven and Make Louhio of Kiwa, and their song New Breed offers a unique retro sound. The light beat lacks much punch except at high volumes, and for the most part this track sounds like late 80s electronic body music. The tale is fairly straight-forward, with rolling analog bass lines and muffled guitar work layered in dirty effects and industrial percussion. An interesting mood-setting piece to open the compilation.

Spies continues to develop the sound of Catcher with Spiratual, a crafty hybrid of industrial and techno. The long intro builds incrementally to a stark electro-technical rhythm, manifesting a haunting warehouse vibe. Throw down some acid and you have another retro-sounding experimentation, crossing the boundaries between dirty techno and the psychedelic.

D-Fundation’s Quantum Glow exemplifies Aurinko’s dancefloor-oriented style of psychedelic techno. The beat is repetative and heavy, with sharp dripping sounds that will be recognizable to any 4CN fan. The atmosphere is harshly digital, with some incomprehensible vocal sample manipulated into an unrecognized mess serving as the main distinct feature of this rich and powerful techno fusion. A solid track for the style that still sounds good today.

Three Point Turn rose to fame on the back of their hard distorted kicks and industrial techno rhythms. Years later this sounds far too basic to hold the same appeal. Raw as hell and laced with slap-bass guitar, Point Blank is a fitting piece of music for the album. The lack of progression makes it more of a DJ tool than anything. Ultimately it’s sort of dull, heard years later.

Dark Soho’s contribution Aggressive is a distinct stomper of a tune that proved to be quite popular on dancefloors all over the world. The beat is staggered to give it that hard rock groove that they had been using on several tracks back in the day. The mood remains sinister and nasty throughout, churning out the beats alongside fuzzy layers of distorted synthetics. Mediocre compared to some of the best work from these guys.

Tim Schuldt is the master of the dark industrial style of psychedelic trance, and Pale is one of his finest creations. Heavy distorted beats immediately set the mood on this one as they rise from the abyss, soon to be joined by mysterious notes played with a guitar. Tension is built with admirable skill, and the guitar work never ceases to merge beautifully with the well-crafted electronic sounds found here. The atmosphere that develops over the course of the song simply has to be heard. Pale is a lasting industrial-psychedelic anthem with a great arrangement and a wealth of creative talent in evidence.

Dodgy Connection is the collaborative effort of Four Carry Nuts and Psychaos, and this combination naturally works quite well. DJT is another original fusion of industrial and psychedelic techno, replete with a hard-hitting mechanical beat and all manner of distinct melodic layers perched on top.

Four Carry Nuts closes the compilation with the other gem, the Male version of Lucy. Frantic breakbeats open this fast-paced night-time anthem, soon punctuated by a throbbing bass line. Sick synths sweep across the stereo field, persistantly building tension with an unstoppable drive. Aptly chosen breaks occur with timely aplomb, initiating haunting rebuilding sequences. This is another clear favourite – one of the best dark trance songs to come out in this time!

Catcher is a compilation that really works well as a cohesive journey, giving purpose to some of the material which might otherwise be less interesting. Rather than being a release aimed at the DJ crowd, this is a good CD for listening for anything into the unique fusion of style showcased here. Examined individually, it should be no surprise that I appreciate every song that Detlef or Tim were involved in, which is fully half of the compilation. The rest doesn’t show their skill at production or their depths of creativity, but work well as padding for these fine old gems. While the release as a whole is eminently listenable, the overall quality and duration could have been better. Nonetheless, every psytrance fan who shares an interest in industrial and dark techno should undoubtably seek this one out.

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