Stefan Betke’s earliest material released under the Pole moniker were some of the most captivating sounds to emerge from the extremely active experimental electronic circles of the late ’90s.Betke’s skeletal, bass-heavy deconstructions of digital dub were haunted by glitchy clicks and scrapes from malfunctioning gear, giving even his warmest tracks an eerie atmosphere not quite like anything else. Seventh studio album Fading comes over 20 years sinceBetkebegan his journey as Pole with minimal, nearly holographic dub tracks, but merges some of the progress he’s made along the way with references to his earliest sounds.

The new album Fading is the first since 2015s Wald. As with every new Pole record, its part of a continued forward trajectory but it also connects to a pre-existing sonic framework. Every Pole record connects to recordings that I’ve made before, Betke says, in order to stay in this kind of vertical development. The ideas from 1, 2, 3 [his groundbreaking first three albums] up to now are connected. I keep the interesting elements, languages and vocabulary that I designed and add new elements. Fading follows the physical released on Mute of remastered versions of his iconic albums 1, 2, 3 to much acclaim. via Label

Label:Mute
Format:2 x Vinyl, 12″, 33 RPM, Album, Stereo
Released:2020
Genre:Electronic
Style: Ambient, Minimal, Dub Techno

File under: House / Electro / Techno