David LaFhionntain - Abandoning Reality

Forever at the forefront of hard-hitting techno, David LaFhionntain strikes once again with an intense air of apocalyptic darkness. The new project pours through like an unsettling and poignant ode to this particular time in our lives.

From the depths and relentless weight of 'Abandoning Reality', the EP kicks into gear with a minimalist stab of a classic techno rhythm; alongside a haunting, hypnotically simple synth riff.

Meandering and changing direction just subtly at various stages in its progression, ‘My Transcendence’ evokes uncertainty. The galloping kick and bassline, screeching synth and loopy arpeggiators, with ever increasing reverb, take us on a five-minute-plus journey which drowns out the weight of the world in a bizarrely hypnotic journey.

A broader synth ambiance builds up and up in 'Into The Shadows', enveloping the listener as this retro, classic and nostalgic techno track fills the room.

'Surrender To Insanity's' minimal melody and an upfront hi-hat adds depth and dynamic - ultimately immersing and engaging in a profound fashion. The sudden onslaught of a screaming, distorted, bass-led central section follows a touch of melody.

The EP’s title track, 'United Under Darkness', balances the weight and certainty of its beat, with a piercing sense of strangeness that is these creatures of movement slowly closing in on you. From a production standpoint, the rising intensity is brilliantly well executed. Multiple layers of detail and experimental audio subtly but surely creep into the mix.

Rather than take to releasing single after single, David LaFhionntain is of a rare breed. Driving with extensive experience and unwavering passion for the genre, his conceptual approach gifts listeners a short yet significant playlist of go-to, infectious and impactful escapism. United Under Darkness as an idea, a sentiment, is perhaps what we all need to work on becoming.