REVIEW: VA03 - Diverse Künstler Drei [Farbwechsel]

Label compilations come in a variety of packages: there’s the short 4-track record day exclusives, monstrous 5x vinyl anniversary editions, and then the one-off showcases which allows label affiliates to exhibit their quirkier, often unheard styles. Farbwechsel’s third various artists compilation falls into the latter category. 

Based in Budapest, Farbwechsel (meaning ‘colour change’ in German) is run by Alpár (Balint Zalkai), SVR101 (Erik Bánhalmi), Norwell and S Olbricht (Martin Mikolai). Starting out in 2012 with cassettes and digital releases they released their first vinyl in 2015 with the first various artists compilation, (sadly however this release is yet to be sent to the pressing plants). In those past five years the label has managed to carve itself out a reputable foothold in a city that has become one of the most exciting scenes in Europe for the mass of talent emerging, the variety of clubs the city has to offer and of course, the music being produced. Perhaps a city better known for its minimal tech-house scene led by producers like Barac and Petre Inspirescu. Farbwechsel has paved way for the emergence of a unique experimental, murky low-fi techno sound – a sound that carries a distinct flavour of vibrancy and innovation that’s less caught up with over-dramatizing techno that has occurred in other scenes across Europe.

As the first release of 2017 and the first after Saint Leidal The 2nd’s leftfield album, Future Tiberian Baths Vol. 2, the comp welcomes back the majority of the label’s roster with notable home-talents, S Olbricht, Route 8, 12z (Bálint Szabó, Márton Kristóf), Wedding Acid Group (András Leidál, Lóránt Keresztes, Zoltán Balla), Mike Nylons and Lobster Theremin’s Imre Kiss. Overall the comp offers a diverse array of interesting electronic music covering low-fi techno, ambient and experimental synth pop, but it’s a diversity that’s seemingly well curated together within a collectively playful, yet also mystic atmosphere of audacious down-tempo experimentation. This is engaging home listening that covers a range of moods but has plenty of DJ friendly tracks too. 

Opening with Ashok Leylund’s ‘Nightwalk’, the comp starts with dreamy ambience made up with evocative trills and folkloric pipes reminiscent of the Japanese masters, but dusty with dainty pads. The range of the comp couldn’t be better reflected in FOR.’s opposing, sinister ‘Alles Im Ordnung’ – a downtempo industrial cut made up of hammering, jaggered percussion and murky distortion comparable to the sounds of Vatican Shadow. Q3A delivers some futuristic, slow burning electro with ‘One Frag Left’; J. Mono trails the electro vibe, but with a more upbeat acidy number, that with its airy post-rave feel resonates with the spirited electro of the DMX Crew. 

The comp’s maddest experimentation comes from 12z with ‘Katajjaq’: a truly trippy experimental noise that doesn’t shy away from its untiring use of a damaging raspy vocal sample. ‘Burial Ground’ is a notable standout consisting of dramatic, spooky synth progression and an electrifying body music pulse that carries you on a floating wave of suspense until it dissolves into a mystical upbeat outro. ‘101ex626_5’ by Svr101 is another hazy down-tempo cut worthy of mention that works with quirky sci-fi synth sounds peppered snappy broken beat. 

Buy: Digital 

Words by Fred D