The Hacker & Endrik Schroeder Project – Puissance 4 / The Voyagers

Grenoble DJ and producer The Hacker, known for his dataphile dark trance excursions, teams up with newcomer Endrik Schroeder for a full-blown creative grand slam, ‘Puissance 4′, betraying decades’ worth learnedness in the knob-twiddling manual arts. The title track here builds from a classic beat into a euphoric hoover-rave crescendo – luring dancers in with hypnotic acid textural decoys – but then finds mercy on said prey, giving the dance what it needs: a rave riff on loan from heaven. ‘The Voyagers’ contrasts with an 808 soul slapper, its sensuality and understated heavenliness recalling obscure 7th Plain releases.