Other combatrecordings
Stormfield - Collapsing System E.P.

artist: Stormfield
title: Collapsing System EP
format: vinyl / digital
cat: COMBAT033
release: mid March 2013
full info: combatrecordings.com/weaponry/...psing-system-ep

Vinyl:
A1 - Rebuild (original)
A2 - Rebuild (DeFeKt remix)
B1 - Collapsing System (Nonima remix)
B2 - Collapsing System (Errorbeauty remix)

Digital:
Rebuild (original)
Rebuild (DeFeKt remix)
Collapsing System (original)
Collapsing System (Nonima remix)
Collapsing System (Errorbeauty remix)
Sea Ice (original)

COMBAT033 is the latest salvo from the uncompromising Combat imprint, with label head Stormfield’s original productions. Though the tracks come in several different styles and tempos, the unifying theme for this release is acid, acid and more acid.

Rebuild is a 140bpm dark electro beast of broken machine rhythms and huge bassdrums underpinning the dramatic sci fi drones and edgy paranoid strings. Multiple 303 patterns chatter in a 4 way conversation, as the acid structure builds, changes form and builds itself again over a melting 8 minutes.

Collapsing System goes in a cinematic direction instead, conjuring imagery of gigantic structures slowly exploding and crumbling undersea, dense reverbs and echoes resounding in 3 dimensional space.

Sea Ice is a slow "winter techno" track that calls to mind Antarctic winds, cracking ice floors, marching through thick snow for miles and miles. Similar in style to the dub techno output of Deepchord, but armed with the characteristic snarl and sharp drumwork you’d expect from Combat. Ironically the track was started on one of the hottest weekends in summer, as a way to take the mind off the heat.

The tracks get the remix treatment from a some new allies to the clan:

Current UK electro scene favourite Defekt has won favour with Rob Booth (Electronic Explorations) and Dave Clarke for his warm, analogue electro and turns Rebuild into a minimalist, bass-heavy dance floor track driven by throbbing, pulsing drum machines and technoid bleeps.

London-based, Bulgarian-born producer Errorbeauty reworks the tranquility of Collapsing System into relentless apocalyptic acid, brutal electro designed for lights-out basement style carnage, yet infused with playful bleeps of melodic detail between the jagged rhythms.

Nonima, one of Scotland’s most underrated electronic producers turns in a fierce, technical workout of a track, in the form of a syncopated techno remix reminiscent of some of Surgeon’s early dance floor works.

This is an EP that wears its rebellious streak on it’s sleeve. But don’t think this is anti-dance music. Scaring your audience and moving them are not mutually exclusive. This is music for dystopian dance floors.