Pan-Pot - FORTE [SNDST123]

Following the recent release of ‘PROTO’ on their Second State imprint, legendary German techno duo PAN-POT announce their brand-new project ‘FORTE’. With the release of the second single ‘BOND’ on the 28th July, the selection of ten tracks that make up the album will be released every two weeks, until ‘FORTE’ drops in November. Each track in the collection presents individually, each telling their own unique story influenced by the duo’s ever-evolving sound over the years - something that has kept them perpetually current. The culmination also marks a milestone 20th anniversary for the duo, serving as a resounding reminder of why they have been at the forefront of the scene for over two decades.

“'FORTE’ meaning strong, translates all the good and bad times we have had, in a way that reflects on our sound. It's a journey of reflection, reinvention, and inspiration from our travels around the world and the people we have met along the way” PAN-POT

The ‘FORTE’ collection begins with ‘PROTO’, getting you re-acquainted with PAN-POT’s vigorous production style. The vocal centrepiece is a continuation of their landmark track from 2007 ‘Charly’. Accompanied by coarse industrial percussive drive and the modulating envelopes of a lead bassline. ‘BOND’ is a cutting yet groovier track, swinging drums and shuffled percussion combine with a resonant arpeggiated lead organ and a sawing bassline that glide through several climatic peaks and troughs, accented by a looping vocal hook.

‘FUTURA’ takes things down a vampiric path, providing a racy number built on thudding kicks, piercing hat grooves and lucid harmonies. ‘EVOLUTION’ delivers a forward-looking techno journey set to an ever-changing background - affected by adding new elements to the mix continuously throughout the track. ‘NOVA’ rides a wave of harsh grooves, heavy set rhythms and eerie harmonies. Its fusion of punk-rave flavours and prodigy-esque make it undeniably unique. All three of these tracks really display PAN-POT’s new direction of sound. After 20 years of touring and making music together, we consciously wanted to think about where we have come from, and where we want to go” adds PAN-POT.

One for the purists, is ‘CORE’. Drum machine shots make up the crux of the track, further developed by climbing builds loaded with rippling synth melodies pulled through continuously modulating envelopes. ‘ARC’ delves into the creative abyss of minimal techno, gliding through a robustly rippling bassline chord progression. It’s simply potent, owning the ‘less is more concept’ in a masterful fashion. ‘EON’ brings another categorically unique piece of music to the table. Swinging grooves, industrial percussion and unique sound design combine to bring about what can only be described as a ‘spooky’ kind of jam.

‘UTOPIA’ provides dynamic contrast to its predecessor, providing ethereal sonics and sentient lyrics steal the show, nestled firmly amongst trancey rhythms and pulsating low frequency grooves. It brings the tempo down, as the releases penultimate track. ‘CODA’ rounds off the collection with one final serving of gritty electronic goodness. Weighty drum work and the track’s rattling percussive drive are sliced into by lucid vox chops throughout.

“The tracks emulate the past, present, and future, in a range of styles, but most importantly they are all tracks which we love and enjoy playing. We wanted to create our own original music again, and this project has been long in the making to celebrate 20 years of PAN-POT”.