Monotonic Function Of Theta is the third solo album by Sentna (Apostolis K.), a Greek producer specializing in a heavy-handed variety of psychedelic techtrance. Released by Ektoplazm, this mini-album bristles with raw industrial power, dirty atmospheres, razor-sharp leads, and a full-on drive. Mastered by Southwild (Jay Kerner) with cover art by Sentna.
Being a fan of tech-trance, I sometimes feel "deceived" by works branded as "tech-trance", but in truth are either progressive psy or minimal techno. What I understand, and love, as tech-trance is the league of artists with names like The Delta, Eargear, Platform. And that's exactly where SENTNA place is: his tracks are heavy, fat, a perfect mix of trance and techno:
1. Monotonic Function Of Theta: the opening track starts with an industrial feeling to it, which pushes it to the techno realm.
2. What's Wrong With The Planet: a multi-layered heavy track with a hypnotic drum, very trancey and with the right dose of melody.
3. Full-Off (Moving Your Head): a more "minimalist" track in comparison to the track above, it again sounds industrial techno. The fat bassline is gorgeous.
4. Escaping Velocity: a spinning tornado, #4 is the a perfect example of what a tech-trance track should be. Every layer is in the right place, drum and bassline are fat, hypnotic. Perfect. Drink a shot of diesel before listening to this track!
5. Big Electron: the fastest track of the album (145 bpm) is a little bit dreamy, nightmarish. Not exactly the danceable, a la psytrance. The atmospheric FX are heavier in this track.
6. The Never Body: the most techno track of this album, it's crude, raw till 4:00. After that a hypnotic effect makes it a stomper.
7. Spinning Molecules: the album closes with another multi-layered track, techy with aggressive - but gorgeous - FX.
My rating: I will give it a 9 out of 10. Nine because it's really danceable, well written and SENTNA made a wonderful work, not sounding minimal or progressive. I don't give it a 10 because I think it lacked a real fat tech-trance track, despite that "Escaping Velocity" is one of the best tracks I have heard in ages.
9/10''
Procyon