At this point a regular contributor in defining Token’s sound, Border One steps up for his sixth EP on the label in five years. As in many of his past projects, ‘Where is Now’ bleeds character through effect for a trip on the dancefloor.
Establishing the ambiance of the record, Border One meets pace with depth in the titletrack A1. A pressing bassline and progressively squelching synth accents combine to press the dancefloor, decorated with flickering hi hats. The track remains a steady roller throughout while maintaining an underlying attitude that only adds to its initial drive. Focusing back his energy on percussion, Border One prioritises eccentric groove with insistent tone. ‘Time Drift’ reaffirms his minimalist approach to the EP, only inviting anxious drum sequences with rising rides in the second half. The portal opens steadily in ‘Time Drift’, establishing a slightly more meditative tone than he’s done in the past. ‘Echo State’ returns to resonance, a sound well fit for the label. With quick loops and a heavy focus on the hypnotic, in a dancefloor-commanding kind of way, the Belgian artist gives his signature sound that rolls effortlessly off of well tuned soundsystems. With a tight grip on the track’s pressure, Border One transitions into the final track ‘Split Recall’. Here, he finds a direct path through a heavily psychedelic landscape. Bringing in occasional high pitched synth sequences and cutting through claps while the stereo field turns and evolves, Border One creates a closing track with attention to detailing his arrangement and variance. Rolling off in one section to stomping through others, the Belgian artist proves once more that his sound continues to be reinvented throughout his work.
