Shed

The press release for The Killer, the third album from Shed, declares it "first and foremost a true techno love story." Berliner Rene Pawlowitz's romance with techno is in full bloom, melodic, rhythmic and textural, constantly brimming, and booming, with articulate, low-end frequency responses. The shadowy dirge techno of "I Come By Night" menaces, but finds balance in fluidic arpeggios that slide and fall around the listener. "Ride On" succeeds using Chicago house flair and textural nuances to boot. Mid-album tune "Day After" makes the strongest case for thematic focus, although it is one of ambiguity ― smearing concepts of right and wrong from the narrator's inner monologue, Pawlowitz's loops start to resemble something like incidental poetry. Melancholic pads summon sonic tendrils, reaching from this beautifully melancholic mess laid out by Shed, the shards beginning to take on an identifiable structure. There is a comprehensive exploration of musical avenues and ideas, as well as a pleasing juxtaposition of an overarching concept and sound design.