EP1 by Nicolas Bougaieff

First up in Nicolas Bougaieff's "EP1" is "Primal Express," in which he returns to NovaMute for their next wave of releases with layers of elastic synth lines and rolling drum funk. It's the first installment in a three-part series on the Mute offshoot and is a dark but enticing work of heady minimalism featuring enchanting synths darting like cosmic rays into otherworldly dimensions. The psychedelic "Obviate Thought" then boasts tight and punchy drums overlaid with haunting sounds that pan throughout the mix in tripped-out fashion. Last of all is "Concrete Love," a gritty and glitchy techno pumper with mind-melting loops and scratchy synth textures peeling off its percussion as the whole track powers on unrelentingly.

Berlin Academy of Electronic Music founder Nicolas Bougaieff is not only a DJ who has played institutions such as Fabric and Berghain, and a producer who has regularly released on Mute and NovaMute, but also someone involved in music technology. He designed the controllers for Richie Hawtin's Plastikman Live tour, and in 2010 with Hawtin, he co-founded Liine, the company behind the landmark music app Lemur. Now, the Berlin-based Canadian Bougaieff drops another artfully crafted and hugely potent techno EP with "EP1," setting the tone for the stellar releases that will follow.

Nicolas Bougaieff - EP1
Release Date 11th January 2024
Label NovaMute

Tracklist
01. Primal Express
02. Obviate Thought
03. Concrete Love