Single Review: Adra – Fear Is The Mind Killer

Adra is from that well known hotbed of techno, Nevada. God knows what it was like for her growing up- I can’t imagine she was surrounded by other kids drawing sustenance from bibbly analogue techno that sounds like a fever dream soundtracked by Knights of Jaguar, but then again, who can say? Maybe Nevada is a mecca of desert raves throbbing to the sound of hot hardware looping into the night sky. But probably not though eh- which would explain why Adra is now based in San Francisco.

I don’t know if this EP is her first or last or whatever, but I can fully certify that the opening track, Arrakis, is genius, lolloping, looping techno based around a set of hooks that drive on and on, steaming down a Kraftwerk created autobahn. If you’ve been feeling Bicep’s Just (and you should have been) this is a logical next step. The other three cuts keep with the analogue aesthetic, particularly notable in the way those hats pulse with nasty, exciting energy, but really Arrakis is taking all the prizes. Near essential, and released on Denied American Techno on August 8th.