Blawan – Wet Will Always Dry

Creative dark atmospheric original techno masterpiece. I have been converted.

First and foremost, I have to say that I was initially very skeptical about Blawan and his music. I thought great, there goes another Surgeon / Neil Landstrumm / early Dave Tarrida wannabe. Oh boy. However, time inevitably goes by, and Jamie Roberts makes his count. I streamed the Karenn Boiler Room sets, I attended a performance myself in Amsterdam, and I then purchased the Kilner album. At that point, there was no more doubt in my head. It was not his music, it must have been me. His working ethics and dedication have brought him to where he is today: at the helm.

"Wet Will Always Dry" is the crown achievement in my book, a release all of its predecessors have been leading up to. A truly comprehensive, invigorating, innovative, energetic, and yes, fun manifest of techno music. It excels on every level: structure, composition, arrangement, sound design, percussion, development. I mean this a belter on steroids. I have been rocking to this in my room on the decks, through headphones late on in the night, with ear buds while out with the dog, on my laptop while typing up emails. It is appropriately attired for the occasion.

Yes, this is obviously very much a techno album, and does not even hint at being anything else, but the sound palette is a thing of awe. The texture of sound used throughout covers the entire color spectrum, leaning towards the opaque obviously. There is so much that sticks out here, so much to single out, on every single piece, that doing a track by track break down would be pointless. I actually challenged myself to remember the last techno album that operates within the (broad) genre spectrum and its satellites, that had so much in it that sounded like it's not even a part of anything. But it is. The way it all comes together is something I keep on coming back to. Sure it's still all beats, bass lines, hi-hats and other ornaments, but if that is all there is to it, why do albums like this come along once in a blue moon?

Partially, I'd be willing to place a bet, and say that Jamie's fascination with modular gear and hardware preferences have to do with the amount of dimension and depth throughout. If that is the case, then he truly is one of the very few artists who went back and benefited from it. We could really say that he's reversed the saying, and took one step back, with two large leaps forward.
Furthermore, him coming from a background of being a drummer, the album resonates and resolutely stomps in ways its competitors can only wish for. Meaning, it's not only unconventional sonic trickery that one can use as a calling card. These tunes are begging to shred dance floors to bits. The percussion is off the hinges front to back.

The album sounds ballsier than what you sample during your weekly checks of record stores. It goes to greater lengths to bring the tracks to life. It revolves around patterns and ideas in sound that cannot be attributed to anyone else, or be dismissed as imitation of others. This is a sound unvierse Blawan can claim his own. Best of all, whatever he's done to get to where he is today, it was more than worth it, because what is blasting out of the speakers when the needle touches the record is pure fire. Well done. A statement of intent from Blawan.

Fantastic release by Blawan. Effective arrangements, totally unique and memorable sound design - an absolute stand out record in 2018 Techno. Highly Recommended!

Have not been buying like stuff for years, but I am sure I will be revelling in its paranoid glory over and over again. Totally gripping. Not as evil as Regis, but it's darn close.