While Christian Prommer is as fascinated with Detroit techno as he was on DrumLesson, Vol. 1, he’s allowed other aspects of his musical personality -- from influences to genres -- to infiltrate Zwei, the second chapter of his DrumLesson project. The content is more electro-acoustic this time out, with a more unusual approach than straight jazz interpretations of techno tracks. While he keeps his Detroit connection at the front of his attack here with covers of Carl Craig (“Sandstorms”) and Aril Brikha (“Groove La Chord”), he also covers tunes by Jean Michel-Jarre (“Oxygene, Pt. IV”) and Laurent Garnier (“Acid Eiffel”), and adds some originals to the mix. Prommer was more directly involved on this set as a player. He and Peter Kruder played everything here with other studio musicians lending a hand. Prommer's drumming is one of the more pronounced aspects of his own tracks in both parts of “Jaguar.” There’s more prog rock and bent, Conny Plank-inspired Krautrock influence in the execution of these cuts as well -- check the Rastakraut Pasta feel on “Groove La Chord” in the extra drum layers, as well as the Gregg Rolie-esque organ swells. “Jaguar, Pt. 2” is almost French prog in the way its dynamic angles and rhythmic patterns crosshatch with one another. One can hear the influence of Christian Vander’s Magma at work. The cover of Richard Dorfmeister's “High Noon” is the most “jazzy” cut here, though it’s undercut with a live, dubby bassline. “Sandcastles,” by Dennis Ferrer, is wildly reworked and becomes an extension of the latter-day work by Can. Ultimately, this is a darker, more mysterious, and much more satisfying animal than Vol. 1. The diverse musics, textures, and dynamics at work here reveal not only Prommer’s vast imagination and that his taste is exquisite, it reveals what a committed, deeply creative and disciplined musician he is, as well. ~ Thom Jurek

Mar 2010

Still riding high from last year's 'The Future Will Come', indie-dance hero Juan Maclean returns with the latest installment of the 'DJ Kicks' series.

Maclean's 'DJ Kicks' session will feature an exclusive track, 'Feel So Good,' featuring a vocal from Nancy Whang and a drum loop from The Juan MacLean's longtime drummer Jerry Fuchs, who was tragically killed in an accident last year. Other cuts include Armando's old-school Chicago house nugget 'Don't Take It' and a Theo Parrish remix of Rick Wilhite's 1996 tune 'Get On Up.'

• Clash - "Christian Prommer's live interpretations of house, techno and electronic classics possesses a mastery of energy versus understatement."