Fur Coat forge forward with Transcendental EP
Words: Matt Mode
May 5, 2017

Fur Coat – Transcendental EP

Variety is an essential facet of any successful artist involved in electronic music. This has been a strong theme in the work of Venezuela’s dark techno masterminds Fur Coat.

Starting in 2004, the story of Fur Coat stems from a collective passion for music and dark, rolling baselines with mechanical drums. The name itself evokes a sense of class and flamboyance, which is certainly something that seeps through the sound of the South American duo.

One of the first real success enjoyed by Fur Coat came ten years after their inception in the form of the ‘Theres No Time EP’ in April 2014. This featured on the house centred Hot Creations label. Fur Coat’s sound reflected this, whilst maintaining their dark aesthetic, allowing the duo to reach a level of prominence in the underground dance circuit. Following this, 2015 gave Fur Coat the push in the direction of techno, where their trademark dark, recalcitrant grooves took prominence.

This change drew the attention of techno pioneer Stephan Bodzin (Systematic Recordings), who requested a remix to feature on his Powers of Ten remixes LP, breaking Fur Coat into Beatport’s top 10 techno chart. Also that year, the cataclysmic techno track ‘Hovercraft’ set a benchmark for murky, rolling techno. The track creates a sound to match a great dormant machine that has taken on a sentient status. In a rave, it matches industrial settings and dramatic sunrises, enchanting those in attendance to dance on. 2016 has been another excellent year for Fur Coat with releases on Watergate Records, their awaited return on Crosstown Rebels and stellar remix work for Edu Imbernon, Matador and Nicole Moudaber. This, and the endless touring schedule has allowed them to take a seat with the top in the techno game.

Enter 2017. The latest release in question is the Transcendental EP, released on February 24 of this year. Beginning with title track Transcendental, it’s blast off, as no-nonsense techno drives the listener through a sense of heightened anticipation. Yet, It’s not long before cosmic synths converse, underpinned by drums that ape a busy print factory. This is space themed techno, that much is certain, but does it work? Absolutely, if you know Fur Coat, you know that they are genre pushing. The frenetic nature of Transcendental is kept within a structure of quality production and countless layers of musical genius. Even non-techno fans have to appreciate exactly where Fur Coat aim to transport the listener through this track. With a catchy modular synth, Transcendental looks to be an essential addition to any techno DJs dance floor arsenal.

The next track on this EP is Oculus. Which, like the virtual reality brand of the same name, transports the listener to another world. Fur Coat build their tracks like most techno productions, yet it is not long before the trademark deep, crunchy bass synths emerge, soon met with hushed snare drums and a breakdown dominated by a busy high pitched synth. This particular sample doesn’t flow as smoothly as Transcendental, but is in good keeping with the overall direction of this EP, which is made clear through the eclectic, space-themed artwork. Yet, the drums featured on Oculus are its redeeming factor, making it an immersive floor filled in the darkest of environments. This is followed by the third track Odisea, which is the moodiest of the EP. This is certainly one for the afterparties and could provide a fantastic theme to the forthcoming Blade Runner remake.

Finally, Fur Coat have included a remix of Odisea by none other than Shall Ocin. The fellow South American techno producer creates an outstanding addition to the EP, doing to Odisea what Fur Coat did with previous tracks such as Hovercraft and really pushing a unique, powerful track with an instantly uplifting drop. This track is certain to switch up the tempo in a rave, and is an coveted item for runners and ravers alike. Overall, Fur Coat have again evolved through pushing the boundaries of their own sound on a solid EP.

DGH

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