Bleep

Enveloped in the mist of dense field recordings, heavily reverbed rhythms, and deep sub bass, Hongkong has become a classic in the realm of minimal dub techno. Robert Henke and Gerhard Behles compiled their early singles for their 1997 debut, and while these songs weren’t made with an album in mind, a trip to Hong Kong and Guangzhou proved to be the glue that would hold these tracks together. Immersive, rainy ambience frames the album’s propulsive rhythms, placing these lengthy explorations in a cohesive world that has produced an immense staying power over 25 years after its release.

A soft beat emerges on ‘Cyan’ from the echoing sputters and silver blips zipping around, gently pulsing as gauzy birdsong mixes in with the chattering vehicles and synth stabs. The grainy trickles of ‘Lantau’ chirp similarly, with playfully percussive woodpecker synths and stuttering glitters guided by dub subs. ‘Macau’ pushes the tempo up, its percussive scatters and turbulent permutations duck and dive throughout the track, while ‘Occam’ is rooted even further in the club, its energetic four to the floor beat weaving through broadcast vocal samples. ‘Mass Transit Railway’ closes on an ominous yet dreamy note as pads and alarm signals filter in, metallic sounds lasering and creaking in the gaseous ambience.

As much of a headphone listening experience as it is a suite of hazy longform dance cuts, Hongkong is a standout in the Berlin techno scene and beyond.