The Detroit area artist/producer once called Ibex is no more. Due to other artists copying the Ibex brand, Tony Ollivierra will now be recording as his real name under his new label Northside District. This first release demonstrates a continued appreciation for the roots of electronic music, with several of these tracks sounding like they were buried in a time capsule back in 1987, and unearthed after marinating for twenty years or so. This should come as no surprise, since Tony has been producing tracks for about that long.
Nangka is the most upbeat, and delves into depths of orchestration uncommon for techno. A pulsating rhythm track and a dark chord sequence give way to an acid bass line that thunders it’s way through the speakers. Soon a string pattern begins to follow the bass through to it’s peak which should have fists pumping for more. Interplay is a flashback to early step sequence house. The main synth riff seems compelling the listener dance in his head as well as on the floor. As the riff travels up and down octaves, a string is introduced segueing into a completely different chord breakdown. The track boils over into a whole new song leaving listeners breathless. On the flip side, Body Slam is another track of the same retro styled goodness, acid bass line included. The Roland 707 and 727 drum sounds give the track undeniable appeal to fans of early Detroit and Chicago. More strings, more analog, more bounce! Finally, Orchestra Proforma finishes off the EP with class and finesse. A string chord intro, a carefully compressed kick drum and clap, and an analog bass line that simply wont quit, jerks the listener out of the chair and onto the floor.