Menace Of Mysteria EP

The Dutch hard-techno wave has crested impressively over the last couple of years, and few producers ride it with more authority than Remco Beekwilder. A workhorse of the scene’s most uncompromising corners—his catalogue on Pranks and MOTÖR is a favourite of the warehouse set—he now debuts on the growing EMERALD imprint with Menace Of Mysteria EP, four brutalist cuts of hard techno, mastered by Hardgroove’s Paul Mac, that marry old-school rave energy to a hip-hop-informed swing.

That swing is the record’s defining trick. Title track Menace Of Mysteria (5:26) opens with a shuffle that nods to the roller-rink breakbeat heritage of the early nineties, before the four-to-the-floor kicks in and the track’s true menace reveals itself: a kick tuned to hit like a pile-driver, a bassline that lurches and stutters, and vocal stabs that snap back at the groove like a taunt. It’s brutish, but it moves with genuine wit.

The remainder of the EP works variations on that formula. Healing Ritual Of Tribal (6:16) is exactly what its name promises—six minutes of rolling toms and ritualistic percussion, the kick left to lock the groove while the drums do the storytelling. Bomfunk (6:08) nods to its namesakes with rave-ready stabs and a bouncier, almost playful gait, the closest the record comes to a smile. Closer I’ll Be Your Galaxy (7:07) is the most expansive of the four: pads slowly unfurl around the relentless rhythm, giving the EP a rare pocket of air before the final drop.

It would be easy to dismiss a record this single-minded, but Beekwilder’s execution is impeccable. Nothing is wasted—every layer serves the groove, every mix decision is centred on impact. Menace Of Mysteria EP isn’t trying to convert anyone, but for those already deep in the hard techno trenches it’s an emphatic statement of intent, and a fine calling card for EMERALD’s first year.