- Two and a half acid rippers on a stunning debut from the revered techno DJ.
- From the label name Uppers and Downers to the title of the first EP, Rubi's Acid Spa, there's a refreshing sense of humour to Dr. Rubinstein's newest endeavour (and full solo debut). As you might expect, these three tracks are acid-flecked, but they're not retro exercises or claustrophobic techno thumpers—instead, they breathe, bounce and pirouette through the bars with zany melodies and precocious drum fills. The title track even has a halftime trap breakdown, before revving back up to double speed with a ferocious second drop that emphasizes the sheer fun of fast techno—and how much more powerful it is in short doses.
"Extacid" is tougher, with a beefy low-end and a bass lead that sounds almost like classic Darude. The playful drum fills really make this one, breaking up the monotony of a four-to-the-floor beat with the verve of a young beatmaker going hard on an MPC. The EP is rounded off by the curious "Ravey Intro 2," which is a lot more polished than you might expect from a DJ like Dr. Rubinstein—all too tantalizing given that it only lasts two minutes and 45 seconds. It can be iffy when a DJ makes the leap into production, but Rubi's Acid Spay lays out a whole new side to one of the best techno selectors around. These cuts are made with DJ know-how—but instead of long intros and drums made to interlock with other tracks, it means tunes with vibe shifts and spicy moments
Tracklist01. Rubi's Acid Spa
02. Extacid
03. Ravey Intro 2