Hard Summer 2018 (2018)

The twentieth release on Nina Kraviz' label is 'a homage to some of the most uncompromising manifestations of electronic music imaginable'. Listening to the ear-splitting drill'n'bass of Biogen's "Hexagraphic" it's hard to argue with the label's mission statement. Indeed, PTU's bleep-heavy "Castor And Pollux" sounds positively mellow when played beside the frenetic beats of Nikita Zabelin edit's of Deka's "Pearl" and Frankfurt legend Marc 'The Mover' Acardipane's hardcore contribution, "Pitch-Hiker" as Pilldriver. While the compilation consolidates Trip's reputation as a single-minded outlet, it is also an essential release for Aphex Twin completists as it contains a rare track from his Universal Indicator project.