- EBM, techno and post-punk collide on this EP celebrating Tbilisi club KHIDI's sixth anniversary.
- Tbilisi club and label KHIDI is celebrating six years in business with a trilogy of EPs showcasing new tracks from resident DJs and producers. The second comes with the tagline "Two thorns together, a hundred tears apart," which should give you an idea of the prickly, vaguely gothic techno sounds within. The heavily collaborative four-track EP highlights seven KHIDI residents, all of whom lean towards the heavier, meaner end of the technosphere.
German producer Ancient Methods works with Georgian artist OTHR on "Vast Vanishing," blending stomping techno with post-punk flavours. A screaming vocal collides with rough percussion while a walloping kick drum booms through the soundscape. It's a potent concoction, a combination of Ancient Methods' menacing but emotive aesthetic and OTHR's past life as a metal musician. Boyd Schidt teams up with Roma to conjure an enchanting but grimy atmosphere on "Self-Deprivation." Quick-fire claps create tension, while ceremonial chords simmer beneath, underlining the pair's status as two of Georgia's most enticing EBM techno exports.
On the flip, Los Angeles techno staple Silent Servant delivers a sonically stripped-back but impactful production with "Manic," weaving a sinister synth lead between a lugging kick drum. It would work as the perfect set opener on KHIDI's industrial-style main room. "Mescaline Network" is more driving, pairing Greek producer Unhuman with Tbilisi's Vulkanski. This one ripples with gloomy coldwave energy, but the robust drums keep it engaging and cutthroat. The EP outlines KHIDI's gritty identity for newcomers and highlights its consistency for long-time revellers, capturing the intensity of a typical weekend at the club.
Tracklist01. Ancient Methods & OTHR - Vast Vanishing
02. Roman & Boyd Schidt - Self-Deprivation
03. Silent Servant - Manic
04. Unhuman & Vulkanski - Mescaline Network