Dominik Eulberg

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Give a listen to Bionik and you might guess that Dominik Eulberg was there, ultra-sensitive mic in hand, picking up and amplifying sounds normally not available to the naked ear. Like many German aficionados of the minimal beat, Dominik Eulberg combines sterile, cold clicks with swirling, warm ambience to make stripped-down, dance-friendly music. The cuts all range around seven minutes and rarely does it feel like an endurance test. Bionik is Eulberg’s first release on Sven Väth’s Cocoon label (his first two are available on Traum). Despite the switch, Eulberg maintains his familiar foray into the world of "forest techno”: driving bass beats rumbling through from start to finish, mixed with raw field recordings (chirping birds, drip-dropping water and rustling leaves). Highlights include "Der Traum vom Fliegen,” where Eulberg uses the field sounds for rhythm and accentuation, cuddled with synth-y warm ambience, and "Libellenwellen,” with its sparkling synths, breathy beats and minimal hi-hats.