Jeff Mills - Kat Moda EP

The Bells was being played on white label by Mills since at least 1994, a long time before it was officially released. Sure, it's not that deep, but to say it's an "attempt to dig into Europe's craze for the hypnotic trancy stuff" is rubbish. Virtually all Techno that's released today (and for the past 10 years +) is a bad copy of Mills, and not vice versa. The popularity of the track is not Mills' fault, more of an indication of what the majority of Techno audiences like these days.

Jeff Mills is indeed a genius. But it is rather unfortunate that "the bells" has come to be his signature track. It doesn't even closely resemble his other work which is far more ground breaking than "the bells". Jeff Mills is deep, "the bells" on the contrary is as shallow as his work gets. It's more of an attempt to dig into Europe's craze for the hypnotic trancy stuff than a testament to Detroit's soul.

Dams burst. Babies cry. Speakers blow. Innocent record store employees are trampled. These are the tell-tale signs of a new Jeff Mills record. But post-launch hysteria over time will ferment to a more sane appraisal of what is really happening inbetween the Purpose Maker grooves.

The Kat Moda EP is another excursion into Jeff's mix-tool techno. Raw and from the hip, "The Bells" immediatley dives into an energetic lead line backed by a raw, punchy kick and relentless ride cymbals. The final third of the track morphs into a rising bassline, which carries it out of the mayhem into a deeper, pumping outtro. (Spotters will recognize this cut as a standout on his "Live at the Liquid Room" mix CD.)

"Kat Race" and "Alarms" drive along more dense tonal paths. Quirky synth bites or clicks filter in and out of the funky percussion. "Cyclone" is a nervous, synth-looped structure with thick, muted kicks. The only highs are snares or side-sticks - right when you need them.

Steering clear of cliche, Mills offers a variety of pumping utility techno here. Overall, a bit darker and (more deliberately?) raw than it's label predecessors, the beauty of these tracks comes from Jeff's keen sense of arranging, boosting and cutting the range of frequencies in raw, floor-filling tracks.

Jeff Mills is a genius and "The Bells" one of his classic cuts that never fails to bang the dancefloor. First comes the simple but amazing hypnotic groove and when the bells hit you're bound to go wild. I wish that the track was a little bit longer, although that can be fixed by getting two copies. Thanks to flawless production the track have stood the test of time, ten years old - timeless! Just needed to express my deep love for this cut, check it out - highly recommended!