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This was the debut release the Possessive Blindfold sublabel, [], which has defined its goal as branching off into more techno and drum 'n bass territory, but at the same time trying not to alienate any PBR listeners. Voltaic, the side project of Fractre's Alexis, has completed two discs for Germany's Electro Chemical Research to date, and Shock Emission is his first North American release. Some of the tracks are borrowed from his Shockwave CD, and others are unreleased and remixed. Voltaic is confidently billed as "rich, experimental techno" right off the bat, as if you have to immediately set it apart from the usual, generic techno drivel in some way in order to catch anyone's attention. Luckily the music does this on its own.

If you were to crank some of these tracks up loud and stand across the street it would sound like any other techno -- a deep, repetitive beat that any moron could dance to. It's the details that set this music apart: the in-between layers, attractive noises, synth fragments and otherwise subtle 'experimentation.' Tracks such as "Monolith" are a perfect example. A driving beat provides the base of the percussion, but only after a rising two minute intro of loops and tones sucks you into the fold. Rich, enveloping melodies blanket dense structures of rhythms, noises and details that allow you to forget how basic that perpetually thumping beat really is.

"Shockwave" adds more soothing atmospherics to the mix, which counteract the bludgeoning layers of beats. The repetition becomes quite hypnotic and engaging. The amount layering and tight, looping electronics is used to keep the structural simplicity of it all from going stale. This music makes me want to get up and move, and though it does have enough to hold my attention just sitting around, I find myself tapping my foot at the very least, if not bobbing my head like an idiot. Shock Emission was a good start for [], clearly stating their goals without saying a word.