Not as well known outside the Germany-Moscow axis as within, SCSI-9 certainly won themselves a devout following with their series of 12" EPs for Force Tracks during the early 2000s and finally delivered their long-awaited debut full-length for the label with Digital Russian. The Force Tracks release unfortunately doesn't include any of the dozen or so tracks the Moscow duo (comprised of Anton Kubikov and Maxim Milyutenko) had released on their EPs. It would have been nice to have those tracks compiled on a single release like this. Even so, the ten tracks exclusive to Digital Russian are first-rate techno on a par with previous SCSI-9 productions as well as those of their similarly stellar Force Tracks labelmates. You won't find any vocal tracks here, nor will you find any novelties; Digital Russian is straightforward techno from top to bottom, modeled precisely for the dancefloor rather than the pop-crossover crowd. The album fluctuates from track to track, often following high points like Deepfax, Triptych, and My Sunday Zoo with straight-ahead tracks to keep the momentum going. Even the filler is exhilarating, if not always particularly memorable, so the album plays well as a whole, never becoming dull or monotonous, always maintaining its dancefloor tempo and hypnotic effect. Digital Russian certainly measures up to its billing, on a par with SCSI-9's previous EPs for Force Tracks as well as the label's other occasional full-lengths like Luomo's Vocal City and MRI's Rhythmogenesis. However, if you haven't heard those preceding EPs or perhaps aren't even too familiar with the Force Tracks catalog, and therefore don't have a touchstone, just know that you're in for a pleasant surprise. SCSI-9 may not be as well known outside the Germany-Moscow axis as within, but it should only be a matter of time before that changes if these two Muscovites can maintain the level of quality showcased on Digital Russian. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi

1		Kroy Menya V Pol Bita
2		Out of Friend
3		Horizon 16
4		Deep&fax
5		NDG
6		Space Days
7		Triptych
8		Just Married
9		Lovers Provider
10		My Sunday Zoo

	Like us on Facebook
	@SoundHound	Follow