Philus - pH

On this remarkable release Finnish Techno legend Mika Vainio quantitatively reduces instruments in order to emphasize their quality and expressiveness and possibly creates the most minimalistic record I know. These tracks basically don't consist of much more than three or four loops of amazingly perfectionistic sound-characteristics with B1 being the extreme: a bass drum and an acid synth that permanently modulates and adds effects throughout the composition. This scheme - synth and beat with just the occasional claps or hi-hats - applies to the entire record and probably represents the actual genius of this creation. Obviously the concept concentrates on a very important, basic aspect of Acid: the ecstatic repetitiveness and the capability to have you caught within a mind-altering sound. An idea that perfectly works and makes this release one of the most special and interesting ones in its genre - totally incredible, both for 1993 and for today, twelve years later.