Dark Arps

Vancouver-based label East Van Digital have been busy since their formation in 2010, releasing a slew of EPs and compilations that span a large scope of electronic subgenres. Their latest offering comes from Dark Arps (a.k.a Jonathan Bierman), a Canadian-born producer who only recently returned home after a 19-year stint of education, engineering, and touring in the UK. Instead of duty-free liquor and a fondness for orange pekoe, Bierman has brought back something much more interesting: beautifully produced techno. Dipping into a number of different styles, Hanging on the Wall displays Bierman's eclectic taste in all things danceable. The opening title track fuses progressive techno with subsonic flybys and soft, '90s dance flutters. Clearly influenced by British culture and music during his stay, Dark Arps' style is built on a foundation of UK elements, most evidently on "The Wheel," which not only sounds like Underworld but also features a vocal sample from Christopher Eccleston's hobo rant in the British cult classic 24 Hour Party People.