For more than 25 years, Luke Slater has been at the forefront of British techno, producing everything from gentle ambient styles to full-on body-hammer assaults under multiple aliases. As the name Planetary Assault Systems might suggest, he has issued some of his most intense, high-tempo material under this alias. This first live album from the techno legend documents a night at the Cocoon party at Ibiza's Amnesia, recorded in mid-2019. The set begins with a relatively gentle, psychedelic build full of Detroit-inspired bleeps, bloops, and melodic pads; then, after a sound like an airlock door closing behind you, it settles into a more functional mode with intense, thudding kicks locking the clubbers into the heart of the dancefloor. From there the mix ebbs and flows but never lets up. Syncopated tribal percussion, high-pitched synth stabs, bell-like tinkles, and housey claps, among myriad other touches, all rear their heads, keeping the experience fresh and musically interesting. For the fans, there's a nice blend of old and new productions, and an unreleased track right in the middle of the set. The most original touch is the addition of live saxophone on two tracks from London-based Tim Ower. He blows almost completely free, and Slater reduces the backing to a pulse and lets him do his thing before building back up for a wild duel. The unique combination of pounding, rigid electronic backing and unfettered woodwind blasts as Ower grapples with Slater's crescendoing synth is thrilling. The productions are incredibly crisp and detailed, with every element clearly audible. It's obviously a very different experience listening on headphones than experiencing it in the club, but this album gives a pretty good taste of what the Slater live experience must be like, and it's a belter. ~ John D. Buchanan, Rovi

1		Angel of the East
2		Peru Drift
3		Engage Now
4		Whistle Viper
5		Message from the Drone Sector
6		Unreleased
7		Desert Races
8		Arc
9		Eyes Themselves
10		Rip the Cut
11		Raww
12		Give It Up
13		Voodoo

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