Artist - Arne Weinberg
Label - 11th Hour Technology
Released - ??
Titel - "Confessions Of A Believer" (EP)

I know four-fifths of diddly squat about Arne Weinberg, but that’s something I intend to correct as soon as possible, as this 12” is one of those sweet surprises that only comes along every few months. It’s difficult to describe, as the basic elements of the tracks – Derrick May-ish drum programming, Kraftwerk synth washes, YMO almost-but-not-quite-cheesy melody lines, early Guy Called Gerald analogue chirps – are not original in themselves… However each track is put together with such warmth, personality and originality that as it’s spinning, you feel no need to pick apart the influences: it hangs together perfectly in its own right. These are real little symphonies in the Detroit style, with new sounds and melodies coming in all the time, and the washes and pads creating a embracing sense of space while the rhythm parts never lose track of the funk, even during the breakdowns. Of the six (well, five and a half) tracks here, there is not a single clunker – this EP comes unreservedly recommended to anyone who loves sophisticated, emotive melody in their electronic music. A great reminder that the blueprint of Detroit techno still has endless possibilities for exploration and freshness, even so many years after it first emerged.