How many times does it actually have to be said: Wosto and Kluentah from Hamburg form the nucleus of rigorous dance music in Germany, which has long deserved more attention. Whether through cement or tar paper, as their two labels are called, it will be delivered. Dry, sometimes gusty underground techno that is sometimes tribalistic, sometimes synth- or noise-heavy. In any case, the two who have joined forces to form a duo here have been delivering some seriously good stuff for around five or six years now. Certainly, the greatest response comes when you dare to venture outside your own four Hanseatic walls and embark on a journey. Wosto is not making music for the first time for Sasha Mambo from Lyon. And Fallbeil can even be heard rattling in the homeland of the guillotine today – although, in reality, little rattling actually takes place on »The Mockturtle«. Instead, the album tracks pound in a metallic and/or crystalline way through retro-futuristic landscapes par excellence. The mighty steamrollers push forward in a heavy electro style, comparatively close to Dutch models. The sound similarities with the Benelux countries are not only not a coincidence, but are also confirmed by Rude 66, who is responsible for the mastering here. Meanwhile, the trick up the sleeve is not quite so obvious, but just as deliberately planned as it doesn’t sound quite so sluggish on 45 rpm, but rather finger lickin’ good in Gabberhausen.
The Mockturtle
