#tiercel

BNJMN: Paean (Tiercel)

Ben Thomas dons his BNJMN moniker yet again, this time releasing the kickoff for new label Tiercel. In contrast to his Body Reflections Pt. 1 release on Tresor earlier this year, Paean feels tougher and rougher. “Mass Conductor” starts things off with a relentless 16th-note percussive pattern while the arrangement builds steam around it. It has all the calling cards of harder techno without ever properly throwing down; instead it fidgets anxiously to great effect.

Paean by Tiercel Records

The A2 track, “The Greater Void,” recalls some of the more ambient, chilly landscapes of Body Reflections, its hazy atmospheres gliding like a cool fog. BNJMN has done well to prove himself quite versatile over the last few years, and he's just as good at these scaled back beatless cuts as more rhythmic workouts. The title track is the most immediate of the three, anchored by a steady, rolling bass kick and staccato, detuned synth patterns and a keen sense of spatial design. It's probably my favorite of the three, but the whole release seems to encapsulate where Thomas's talents lie across the board, both on and off the dancefloor.