TFBr012 Puppets EP
artist: Jona
remixer: Dan Curtin
release out: 26/11/07
In the Bible, Jona was able to tell the future, and perhaps was swallowed by a whale.
We don't really remember. In techno things are different, there are no commandments, slightly less whales, and probably around the same amount of beards.
The techno Jona probably needs no introduction. With huge releases here on Toys for Boys aswell as some of the biggest labels on the planet (Get Physical/Resopal/Fumakilla/Tuning Spork), young Jonathan Troupin is practically a household name by now. After melodic beginnings in 2005, this year has seen him bring a more twisted techno sound to the floors, without losing any of his way with melody. And so his return to Toys for Boys here is timed perfectly to light a fire for the long winter ahead.
If that's not enough, Jona's two tracks are backed by a remix from none other than Tuning Spork's Dan Curtin. What can you say about someone who has been making techno as long as Dan? He has been releasing records since many of us, Jona included, were probably being fed liquidised vegetable mush and growing first teeth.
A1: Dehydrate: First up is "Dehydrate", a stuttering and jacking piece of peaktime house music that is deft and precise without ever losing its force. Lopsided melodies fight for attention over flashes of percussion and fx. This is a record which continues Jona's slight shift towards darker and more peak-time sounds which leave no room for those moments when nobody in the club can lose attention.
A2: Puppets: Next up is "Puppets". Here Jona harks back to his love of puppetry (not really) to bring us a slightly housier track with a bass-heavy melody. This one is a little like the style that we first became familiar with from Jona, with that similar digital disco 4/4, though don't worry, it still packs quite the punch.
B1: Puppets (Dan Curtin Mix): Mr Curtin meanwhile takes things on a more acidic trip, back to the late 80s perhaps, with an anxious acid line and a swinging rocksolid drumbeat. This hypnotic re-work pans out in unpredictable directions, with smatterings of keys and an edgy chopped up feeling. It seems Dan's puppets are a little weirder than Jona's, though both will keep the kids entertained!
And that concludes Toys for Boys 12th release. We hope this one works for you, and stay tuned for TFBr013 from none other than Sarah Goldfarb (Dumb Unit/Treibstoff). And one last thing, keep an eye on elderly people this winter, as temperatures drop they need the most attention!
