CRISTOPH & ADZ - SOLPAZ / FADING - FACTORY 93 RECORDS
For its third release of the year, Insomniac’s highly regarded Factory 93 Records returns to the fore with a narcotic two-track EP that finds superstar DJ and producer Cristoph linking up with fellow rising UK producer ADZ. Having previously collaborated together with Luke Coulson on the Consequence of Sound-released single “The Edge”, the Newcastle-based pair emerge from the studio with Solpaz / Fading, a rousing record where they converge for an electric and unadulterated assault on the senses.
Shrouded in a dense haze, dry kicks blaze their way across meandering sonic shards before latching on to an irrepressible low-end throb. Galloping with brute force through the night, the UK pair harnesses the energy in the air through raw magnetism as “Solpaz” rises from the underground in gargantuan fashion. With each twist and turn, ADZ & Cristoph’s first creation becomes harder to contain, tantalizing listeners as it contorts endlessly, offsetting a seemingly perpetual cascade of alluring darkness. Simple, yet brazenly effective, “Solpaz” promises to stride across dancefloors leaving a remarkable trail of ecstasy.
On the B-side, ADZ & Cristoph come together for “Fading”. With a grittier panache, the producers go in harder with a no-holds-barred approach, providing a different kind of shade to the record. A techno pure-breed, here razor-sharp hi-hats roll over a stobbing bassline as the pair drill deeper until they uncover a gorgeously haunting vocal line that injects “Fading” with an ambiguously alluring air of sensuality and despair. Meanwhile, delightful acidic notes grace the canvas before we are left to freefall in a gripping breakdown as the track recharges for one last joyride through the darkest echelons of electronic dance music.
While Cristoph & ADZ’s Solpaz / Fading EP is a most impressive collaborative outing, it does find comfort in common places and doesn’t really break new ground for either. Nonetheless, its slick air of confidence and delicious aural maneuvers are simply irresistible as it expands upon Factory 93’s ever-attractive catalog.
Rating: 7.6 / 10
