ALBUM REVIEW: Robert Babicz – Rave Angel by Jeet Ghoshal

 

Robert Babicz, a Polish house and techno producer, has been a pioneer in the dance music scene for well over two decades. Babicz has released music on record labels such as Kompakt, Treibstoff, Intec Digital, Audiomatique as well as his own labels, Junkfood and Babiczstlye. Babicz’s latest three track release on Bedrock Records, includes Rave Angel, Wonderland and Shifting Reality.

Rave Angel opens with a deep, dark heavy bass line with an almost Deep House-esque synth reverberating in the back ground. Quickly, a shaker style high-hat is introduced with an accompanying tight kick drum. The progression of this track is much more accelerated in comparison to other Techno songs; adding in layers upon layers of synths every 15-30 seconds. The complexity of the layers is almost reminiscent of a Trance-type song, but that’s where it stops. The rhythm, heavy bass line, and groovy melody are distinctly Techno. This is easily one of the more upbeat, energetic, well-rounded techno songs I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. The song cuts out abruptly with no outro or deconstruction at 3:35 in order to make way for a more ambient, Techno song, titled Wonderland.

Wonderland continues the complex layered stylings of its predecessor, opening with an abrasive, heavy and deep synthetic bass line. This song, also quickly shifts its character into, what I characterize as an ambient style. As I mentioned before, and as is apparent through this three track release, Babicz is a pioneer, owning his own unique style, incorporating elements of various genres. Nowhere is that more apparent than during the Jazz interlude which slowly eases its way into your soul at around 2:30. However, despite the smooth jazz characteristics of this particular section of the song, the introduction of a sporadic, abrasive bass line reminds you that you are supposed to be listening to a Techno song. It’s easy to get lost in this melody, as it is with all Jazz—just listen to the dance of the notes as you escape and clear your mind, if only for a couple of minutes. I wish there was an entire set like this. But, unfortunately and similarly, this song cuts out just as abruptly as Rave Angel.

The third and final song of the release, Shifting Reality, opens with a deep, driving, hypnotic bass line, with a unique medley of sporadic synths. The schizophrenic nature of the variety of synths adds to the incredible depth and unpredictability of the track—taking you on a psychedelic trip wherever you happen to be listening to the song. The track calms down and settles into a groovy, dark bass line that takes me back to the original dark, twisted nature of techno and carries through the rest of the song. Not too long afterwards, the song reintroduces the marvellously dystonic synths during the final build, until, as the others, ending abruptly.

Robert Babicz is a talented man, no doubt. Many find techno repetitive and predictable, but if you’re listen closely and have the patience to appreciate it, artists like Robert Babicz will take you down a completely different and unique avenue.

Buy the Rave Angel EP here on Beatport.

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Robert Babicz
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Bedrock Records
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Jeet Ghoshal – EDM TOR