Artist: Martin Eyerer & Stephan Hinz
Title: The Tucan EP
Label: Renaissance Recordings
By: Andy Dixon | 4 September 2007
Tracklist:

• A1: Tucan (Nic Fanciulli Mix)
• B1: Tucan (Original Mix)
• B2: Apollo (Original Mix)

Martin Eyerer & Stephan Hinz "The Tucan EP"

Renaissance has been all about the Nic Fanciulli half of one + one, releasing his own Renaissance Presents CD, Squirreled EP, Lucky Heather single and now by billing his remix over the original in this new release by Martin Eyerer & Stephan Hinz. The mix is fairly representative of his current sound and the work he and Zabiela have done, which I for one greatly prefer to his flatter Renaissance Presents CD. Now he hits progressive techno with a slight electro flavour and does it with a distinct flair. His Tucan mix dances through reverberant xylophone-esque strikes and intentional claps. Fade-ins from quick attack Atari sound effects create mental strobe lights before eventually settling into the original form of the melody. The energy is recurring - and rarely does it hesitate in spite of its peaks and valleys - before remaining on steady incline for the final three minutes plus.

The original begins with one of my favorite sequences - heavy layering of intricate percussion followed by quick fade bass line - tonally active with a late breaking secondary sound. Drum layers excel with the use of rhythmic record popping as hydraulic sounds then give way to melody in the form of fast volume fluctuations before hitting in full-modulated glory. A little more change to intervals would be nice, but mixed in with many filters and a fun bouncy harmony it never gets stale.

The next track, Apollo, uses the same voice set so the two nearly blend together. But Apollo picks up steam faster and gets dirtier. Not unlike the Way Out West track by the same name, it breaks with a big full melody before teching out to end it.

Nothing is really lacking on this although the Germans Eyerer and Hinz are a bit outshined by the Brit, Fanciulli, this time. It’s a good pickup for fans of this incredibly popular sound right now.