A good DJ knows how to pace their set and adjust to the crowd. Sometimes the energy is high and everyone is locked into the dance, but between these high points there are equally important chill moments. You might be boppin' around talking with a friend or eating a quick snack to sustain yourself for the long night ahead. The six tracks on Krydderfabrikken, for the most part, feel well placed for more relaxed dancefloor moments like these.
The first three tracks each have a solid house/techno dance rhythm, but with a relatively chill atmosphere. This is in part accomplished by prioritizing the high end over the low end, but also through a relaxed approach to timing, and a consistent use of rhythmic syncopation inspired by dub and electro. Part of what makes these tracks well suited for these softer rave moments is the interesting and dynamic sounds layered over the top. The purpose of these moments isn't to bore the attendees but to subtly shift their engagement from the body to the head while maintaining the dance.
The fourth track, Riley, my personal favorite on the album, picks up the energy somewhat. The syncopation is the strongest on this track. Rhythmic synth layers cascade, always shifting how the underlying beat is felt. The net result dragged me in hypnotically.
The final two tracks both drop the four on the floor pulse in favor of a darker and more ambient sound.
Track five, Cycloid, is more aggressive and industrial, opening with an extended ambient segment with an aggressive vocal sample before a dark bassline sets in. The harmony is dissonant and the sound design is noisy with an occasionally glitched rhythm.
Like the track before, track six, Tetris, opens with a harsher palette. The rhythmic hierarchy feels mischievous and skittering between broken sixteenth note highs layered on a half note kick.
With a diverse and interesting palette, each track has a particular and intentional feeling well suited to cultivate a specific energy on the dancefloor.