After a stint of relative quietness, Berlin’s Acting Press have since treated us with a flurry of 12”s over the last couple of months. First was PLO Man’s much anticipated follow-up to the revered ‘Stations of the Elevated’, followed now by releases from Money Morning and Accelera, the former of which comprising newbie Scott W. and All Rest No People, one part of both CC Not and Attitudes in Error. In keeping with the label’s ethos, a shroud of mystery pervades, but rest assured there’s certainly no trade-off with quality.

The record treads the line somewhere between the proto-IDM of Warp’s Artificial Intelligence compilations and the ambient-leaning end of Aphex Twin’s output. In any case, it undoubtedly harks back to that movement of electronic music that was born as a counteract to early 90’s rave. The opener ‘Haze’ is an outstanding, expansive epic that’s reminiscent of the ambient works on labels Northern Electrics and Auxiliary and, although somewhat disparate, I can’t help but draw parallels with the feeling I first felt on hearing Lemon Sol’s ‘Polymorph’. The EP should really be treated as a single entity and listened to in its entirety. However, if a highlight were to be picked it would be ‘Remnants of Joy’, a bliss 11-minute wave of swirling ambient electronica that’s crafted by some exceptional drum programming. This futuristic track falls nicely into the deep night-time zone and provides the perfect after-hours soundtrack.

However, the record, as is the case with many releases that garner such hype, will undoubtedly be masked by inordinate pricing on the second-hand market. So do, if you’re lucky enough to find one, cherish and preserve it purely on merit of the quality it beholds.

4.5/5

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Words by Tom G