Ten years ago, Acid Test began with a simple concept—each track the label released would make use of the Roland TB-303. Like a producer purposefully paring down their studio setup, or the continuous imperative within underground electronic music to reduce, this concept engendered creativity with the introduction of what seemed to be an aesthetic limit. However, the decade that followed, which now culminates in the triple-LP compilation Ten Years Of Acid Test, proves acid is limitless.

That the Berlin-via-LA label would expand upon the classical conception of acid house and techno is no surprise considering the cast of characters that have come in fold over the past decade. Ten Years Of Acid Test gathers key material from the label's extended family of acid acolytes. There's that Vienna-via-LA maestro of sad, elegant acid Tin Man (Johannes Auvinen), whose "Afters Acid" is both a highlight within his prolific catalogue and a distillation of his symphonic approach to the 303. Detroit giants Erika and Marcellus Pittman, both of whom have released remixes on Acid Test, present their respective and singular Bass Line visions. Erika, the Interdimensional Transmissions lynchpin, crafts a dark, delicate take on broken techno on "Violet Fungus" while Pittman continues his cubist house explorations on "Unknown Species," both tracks straying from typical acid lines in favor of the intricate textures achievable on the 303.

This variation in approach applies to tempo as well. Irish-based master Lerosa, as well as Delsin affiliate VC-118A, delve into downtempo atmospherics. Meanwhile, Japanese deep techno virtuoso Wata Igarashi, SUED co-founder SW. (a regular on Acid Test's leftfield sub-label Avenue 66) and Patricia (one-half of Acid Test act Ociya) use acid as a creative jumping-off point for complex melodic concepts. Wata layers an orchestra of synth-bliss drone overtop a squelchy bassline on "Ephemeral." SW.'s "ChaIAnJAzzz" cycles through an array of dusted chords eventually landing in skewed, fuzzy rave nostalgia, anthemic chords held aloft by a wicked UK-flavour bass line. Patricia's “Higher Still” explores dreamy, IDM-flavoured acid, cinematic synthlines counterbalanced by propulsive, squelching acid.

Acid Test devotees will be thrilled at the return of various luminaries from the catalogue, including Achterbahn D'Amour, Skudge, AAAA, John Tejada and Donato Dozzy, whose memorable remix of Tin Man's "Nonneo" from Acid Test 01 served as a kind of proof of concept for the label. There's new blood too. San Francisco up-and-comer Sepehr makes his label debut with the excellent "Persian Acid Prince," as does Andreas Tilliander's beloved hardware techno project, TM404.

Like the original Hot Mix 5 Acid compilation, which highlighted the original cohort of Chicago acid innovators including Pierre, Fingers and Armando, Ten Years Of Acid Test is a valuable portrait of a group of artists linked by a dedication to innovation within acid, in line with the genre's storied roots. Over ten years, Acid Test has gracefully made a case for the 303's past, present and future, the story of acid continuing to unfurl in unpredictable, addictive patterns.

Published by Copyright Control
© 2021 Acid Test
Mastering by Stefan Betke @ Scape
Manufactured by RAND
Distributed by Word and Sound
Design by Floating Bastard

F1 - Skudge - Bite

Recording of @hewizee DJ set at SUPERCAMP Festival 2021

Hewan Aman - SUPERCAMP Festival 2021

club couch, rhabarberschorle, k-holing with my besties <3

Furthur Electronix
15 July 2022

Vinyl 2×LP, Limited Edition

FE077 -- Sound Synthesis - Hum of Human Dreams LP (Further Electronix)

Bionic BLT (Bacon, Lettuce & Tachyons)

NUBETA BEAT 2025 
NoteE003 
94Bpm 
HipHop Instrumental 
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Lost Trax - Surface Treated - Delsin Records - 139dsr

a1. De Laye
a2. Surface Treated
b1. Interstate (Halfway Home Mix)
b2. Still

https://www.delsinrecords.com/release/6495
https://losttrax.bandcamp.com/album/surface-treated

Unknown collective Lost Trax return for a third EP on Delsin following two previous outings since 2017. Also releasing on the likes of Tabernacle and Frustrated Funk, they deal in emotional music that comes direct from the heart and heads straight for the dance floor.

'De Laye' is a quick and slick, deep and dubby techno cut with plenty of room for the twisted bassline and busy, bristling drums. 'Surface Treated' trips you out with sci-fi sounds and electro influences that recall classic Detroit as they surge into the future and 'Interstate' then gets perfectly dreamy and far sighted, with thoughtful chords and keys drifting up top about tight, punchy drums. This most serene and sublime EP ends on 'Still', a crisp electro cut with icy keys and plenty of machine made drum funk. It makes for a most stylish and timeless collection overall.

Surface Treated (139dsr)

Buy @ Delsin Shop

Lost Trax - Surface Treated EP (139DSR)

Available at bandcamp:
https://tracey.bandcamp.com/album/numbers-and-buildings

Numbers And Buildings

B1 of  Mental Manipulation EP on Hard Beach Entertainment 
https://www.discogs.com/Pyramid-Of-Knowledge-Mental-Manipulation-EP/release/14783254

Numbers And Buildings

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