Centrum

After leaving both critics and the dancefloor in awe with his 2012 debut album Orbiting (50 011CD/LP), Jremy Guindo aka Bambounou returns to 50WEAPONS in full-length form with Centrum. While his debut album painted a futuristic, extraterrestrial picture, Guindo now tries to explore what the future would look like on Earth: For Centrum, the concept is a little bit different, it's back on Earth, still in the future and it's not so bright. Have you seen Akira or read Dune or even Foundation? It's this kind of vibe for me, he says. Hold on -- outlining a dark future in a techno full-length... hasn't that already been done? Not in this manner. Guindo paints a picture of a future where everything is in order and no one can get out of the system. Composer is a perfect example, with its grooves evoking the image of a conveyor belt for production or transport. Guindo tinkers with (real Detroit) electro synths throughout the album, leading the listener into a trance state that he interrupts with the slamming percussion of tracks like Each Other. While Orbiting reflected Guindo's experience growing up the 13th arrondissement of Paris (home to big building blocks and the Quartier Asiatique), Centrum somewhat diminishes the presence of his bass and footwork influences. Ambient and techno are what Guindo is leaning toward now. Centrum may not be a typical club record, stuffed with bangers from start to finish, though it does contain material for good DJs to sink their teeth into. Instead, while it's sure please fans of Orbiting, it also provides the kind of listening experience treasured by mature techno fans.