After a number of vinyl releases on labels such as Background and Sub-static and Revolver, American minimal techno project Pan/Tone prove that they have far from expired their tracks by releasing a double CD on the French label Bip-Hop.
The first CD contains studio material by Pan/tone, while the second disc contains remixes of Pan/tone material. The material on the first disc shows that Pan/tone has been strongly influenced by artists like T.Raumschmiere and Anders Ilar. About half of the tracks is strongly influenced by ?punk-rock? techno tunes, while the other half is a sort of pounding minimal techno. The second disc contains remixes by various artists such as Jeff Milligan (algorithm), Si-cut.db, Mia and many others.
Because the second disc gives various artist?s interpretations of Pan/tone?s work, and because of the minimal approach of the material on the first disc, I think the second disc is the most interesting of the two. The first disc is somehow a bit too static for me, there is not a lot of changes in the tracks and not a lot of variation between the tracks (except for the punk-rock and minimal distinction). The second disc shows a lot of variation while maintaining the same kind of ?minimal? atmosphere.
?Newfound urban calm? is a solid release, but I have to recommend Pan/tone?s earlier vinyl releases (like the ?funky martini? ep on background) as well.
