As 2024 begins to flow onwards, what better way to accompany that than with the latest release from Oath sub-label Benthic, courtesy of label heads Lucid Void, who bring a certain kind of never-ending mood, feel, and atmosphere to the table….

The Tbilisi based duo occupy a very intriguing in-between musical space, one which touches upon the expansive feel of big yet subtle techno flourishes, progressive and floating but with a hint of melody all at once. They are able to pull at the numerous threads that the genre has expanded into, bringing together motifs of the past and the present to create something very obviously future-leaning. This hasn’t come about by mere circumstance, as the duo have spent a significant amount of time honing their craft, alongside having deep appreciation for their shared genre passions, all of which contribute to the quality and intrigue found within their music. Their previous records, which included efforts on Arts Gallery, Virtual Lounge and the 2021 release ‘Assurance’, the debut record on Benthic, all point towards a mindedness of creating bold, beautiful and thought provoking music. Deep set rhythms, delicate wobbling bass lines, and soaring metallic melodies all morph together with gusto and purpose, functionally moving through the gears but with a definite human touch – a expert interplay between human and machine, feeling, evolving, graceful.

‘Inner’ represents their most involving and expansive release to date, and the record spares no expense when it comes to covering as much ground sonically as possible. If their previous releases helped to touch upon the cornerstones of the duo’s sound, then this release acts as a summarisation of all that has come before, bringing together their aims, ambitions and musical meanderings. The record draws upon multiple frequencies and spatial dimensions in order to achieve a collectivized sound that is both broad and dense in feel, feeling its way up the walls of the mind as much as it moves through the ceiling of the club. The most significant manner in which differentials are made is the inspired use of drumming patterns to help evoke certain kinds of energy, moving through a broad spectrum of atmospheres in line with some wonderful, expressive melodic expressionism. ‘Quasar’, the opening cut, crafts a compelling yarn, with the hi hats forming a rock solid foundation for the swirling, waterfall like keys and pads which point to the stars and the infinite space that exists beyond them. ‘Escalate’ draws focus from the repeating bass note, a pulsating anchor that provides focus for the swirling tones that shift all around the peripheries and parameters of the track, encouraging the swells that linger long in the memory. ‘Transporter’ again leans into the focus on the bass note, with a particular 90s vibe being evoked here, further reinforced by the warm and thoughtful melodic notes.

The title track and ‘Signal’ move the record into a chugger space, with the regular kicks on both numbers moving the energy into the heat of the mix. The feel is one of euphoric release, allowing the rhythm rather than the mind take things away into the heavens, and it works ever so well as a counter point to the involving, tonal pieces that came before. ‘Vision’ finishes things off, and this one swings its way into hearts and minds, shifting perspective from one side of the view to the next, feeding into the human spirit and embracing the possibilities of the unknown. A fitting end to a record that promises so much, and delivers on it all – a perfect encapsulation of Lucid Void’s vision, which leaves a lasting impression.

Techno is alive and well, and it couldn’t be healthier than within the music of Lucid Void, who entice and delight listeners with their sublime take on the genre and its many offshoots. ’Inner’ is no exception, a record that doesn’t compromise or shy away from bold beautiful strokes – instead it embraces the swiftness of change, the promise found in the progressive, and the full range of emotions that people experience when engaging with melodic beauty. Moods, atmospheres and sonic environments abound within this record, pointing to many differing spaces and places, and Benthic couldn’t be prouder to feature their talents. So why not pop this one on, and drift, drift away – its quite the ride to the cosmos…..

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
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Tracklisting
A1 Introversion - Laeddis
A2 Introversion - Found Footage
B1 Introversion - Tesseract
B2 Introversion - Signs

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 Frenk Dublin - Chord Dancer
A2 Frenk Dublin - The Last Realm
B1 Frenk Dublin - Time & Space
B2 Frenk Dublin - Saphire Dub
B3 Frenk Dublin - Inspected

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Tracklisting
A1 Dynamic Forces - Lyra
A2 Dynamic Forces - Vaulting
A3 Dynamic Forces - Parallel
B1 Dynamic Forces - Shimmer
B2 Dynamic Forces - Radiant
B3 Dynamic Forces - Meraki

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 Emmanuel - Lost In Translation (Chontane 1995 Remix)
B1 Emmanuel - Illusion Of Choice (Regent remix)
B2 Emmanuel - New Media (OFF / GRID remix)

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Tracklisting
A1 Yan Cook - Surface Tension
A2 Yan Cook - 22-44
B1 Yan Cook - Eyes Adjust To The Dark
B2 Yan Cook - Kviten

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 Thimo Konings - How Does One
A2 Thimo Konings - Towers Reach
B1 Thimo Konings - Sirkel
B2 Thimo Konings - Covert
B3 Thimo Konings - Double Split

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Tracklisting
A1 OFF / GRID - Renegades
A2 OFF / GRID - Still Deviant
B1 OFF / GRID - No Money No Problems
B2 OFF / GRID - Mechanic Feelings

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 User - Police
A2 User - Detkor 4
B1 User - Joshua
B2 User - No Pain No Gain

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
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Tracklisting
A1 Emmanuel - Illusion Of Choice
A2 Emmanuel - Lost In Translation
B1 Emmanuel - Analytics
B2 Emmanuel - New Media

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 Boston 168 - Acid Arcane
A2 Boston 168 - Codebreakers
B1 Boston 168 - Impulse of Infinity
B2 Boston 168 - Depth Perception

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Tracklisting
A1 Klint - Gunslingers
A2 Klint - Paris Tokyo
B1 Klint - Chaotic Funk
B2 Klint - Undercover

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 JUDAS - INTENSE I
A2 JUDAS - INTENSE II
B1 JUDAS - INTENSE II
B2 JUDAS - INTENSE IV

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 Paul Roux - What Will Remain When We're Gone
A2 Paul Roux - Burning
B1 Paul Roux - You Know You Want It
B2 Paul Roux - Maybe Is Love
B3 Paul Roux - Stereo Love

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Tracklisting:
A1 Tensal - Virgo
A2 Tensal - Molecular Base
B1 Tensal - Black Annis
B2 Tensal - Chromatic Aberration

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
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Tracklisting
A1 OFF / GRID - Strobe Light Memories
A2 OFF / GRID - Insomniac
B1 OFF / GRID - Patterned Vision
B2 OFF / GRID - No Need To Talk

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WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
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Germany
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Tracklisting:
A1 Introversion - Nostalgia
A2 Introversion - Mania
B1 Introversion - Burden
B2 Introversion - Burden (SAMA remix)

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: gpsr@wordandsound.netMore