Laboratory Instinct, 2006
Manchester, UK acid legend Gerald Simpson delivers a long mix of new, exclusive techno on this CD from Laboratory Instinct. There are echoes of Chicago and Detroit here, with influences spanning house and electro. “Marching Powder” sets the tone with squelches over tribal house beats. “Auto Rebuild,” a remake of 1990’s “Automannik,” features whispers and old-school bass. “Transition” and “Andromeda” are especially nice, mixing hard synth lines with spacey bleeps. Two-thirds of the way through, there’s a nice minimal set, then things get a little AFX-y before Gerald returns to an ’80s feel. Many of these tracks move by too quickly for a full evaluation, but the mix as a whole is smooth and uplifting. Gerald’s new material fits perfectly with today’s retro dance styles. This is an assured statement from a man who has been involved in the techno scene since it began.