Ololiuqui – Reverse Engineering

Reverse Engineering is the third album from Ololiuqui (Volker König), a veteran producer from Hamburg, Germany. Continuing in the vein of the pumping organic rhythms of Valves (1998), Reverse Engineering marks another step into the deep end of progressive trance. The album is distinguished by clean and simple analog grooves, fat and funky bass lines, and a slight hint of “disco pop” and other hints of influence from the 1980s. The combination is subtle yet distinct—few other artists possess a sound like this, although Element and SBK come close.

Feel opens the album with an easygoing demeanour, taking its sweet time to get started. Once the groove settles in the listener is treated to an intricate set of funky rhythms and snaky hooks. Bright and colourful atmospheres sustain interest while the story builds. Very nice! Reverse Engineering takes a darker turn but follows a similar pattern. The bubbling beats churn and wriggle while a heady lead barrels down the wires. Honk lightens things up with a loping beat and blissful atmospheric work. The results are simple and straight-forward. I Can See… marks the return of former Ololiuqui collaborator Oliver Elschenbroich. Massive bass grooves topped with ornate melodic flourishes make this a stand-out track. The altered vocal hook might not suit some listeners but I feel as if it works in context.

Restarter feels a little like a song from the old days of Ololiuqui. It has more of a tribal drive but lacks a unifying theme. Concepi has a higher tempo and more of a bite. The extensive samples from Mission To Mars don’t do much for me but the rest of the track is all right. Ping pong percussion and a rippling bass line lend this some character. Chunks sounds very much like house music. Deep bass and funky beats combine to form an irresistible groove on this one. This piece is deceptively simple but the quality of it shines through nonetheless! A favourite. The Deep is a cheerful piece of progressive trance that rehashes much of what has come before in a pleasantly forgettable way. Beautiful rounds it out with light breakbeats and plenty of soothing atmospheres.

Reverse Engineering is a decent effort that works fairly well as a cohesive listening experience. It could have used a few stand-out hits, but some albums are made for unobtrusive background listening—as this one is. Throw it on in the middle of summer when you have something else to do and you might find it works well. If you enjoy this, be sure to check out the previous Ololiuqui album: Valves.