Fur Dich

by Jason BirchmeierTobias Thomas' mix navigates through the experimental sounds of down-tempo European minimal techno with an emphasis on the tracks similar in style to that of Kompakt. Of course, anyone familiar with Kompakt knows that these aren't your traditional dancefloor sounds, but rather a complex strain of techno more likely to induce cerebral contemplation than body jacking. In fact, this is the main dilemma faced by Thomas on this mix: how to make such quirky techno fit into the utilitarian confines of a traditional DJ set. No one is arguing that his tracks aren't engaging, with Vladislav Delay's mammoth "Huone" and Various Artists' "Autechre Rmx" being obvious highlights; there are few dull songs here, making Thomas' choice to let the tracks play a wise choice. In the end, whether or not this mix inspires booty shakin' probably isn't the most important point -- though there are some quite undeniably funky moments, such as Nick Holder's "Sometimes I'm Blue" -- but rather the fact that the songs quickly engage you with their uncanny characteristics and, above all, the fact that Thomas' mixes flow seamlessly from one whimsical rhythm to the next in ways you never thought experimental sounds such as this could.