Artist: Stefano Greppi
Title: Technologies In House Music
Label: Screen Recordings
By: Andy Dixon | 29 August 2006
Tracklist:

1. Stefano Greppi Feat Niconote - Living In A Video (Original Mix)
2. Ad Finem - Angel (Stefano Greppi Mix)
3. Polekat - Dancing Queen (Stefano Greppi Mix)
4. Daf - Your Heart (Stefano Greppi Dub Mix)
5. Stefano Greppi Feat Andrea Felli - I Am (Original Mix)
6. Against The Grain - The Mask Reworked (Stefano Greppi Dub Mix)
7. Greppi's World - Una Questione Informatica (Original Mix)
8. Stefano Greppi - Electro-Pop (Ambient Mix)
9. Stefano Greppi - Electro-Pop (Dub Mix)
10. Stefano Greppi - Freedom Is... (Original Mix)

Stefano Greppi "Technologies In House Music"

The incredibly talented Stefano Greppi has put together one of the best artist albums in a long time. The Italian DJ and producer Greppi has played throughout Europe but he was probably first introduced to most worldwide with two singles a few years back, 'Freedom Is…' and 'Electro-Pop'. 'Electro-Pop' in particular- a quirky progressive meld of heavy beats and chiseled samples- received extensive attention, including on releases by Sander Kleinenberg, Anthony Pappa, Marcus James, and others.

His debut album 'Technologies in House Music' on Screen Recordings spreads his substantial production talent over 10 tracks of constantly moving, ever surprising house. Stefano Greppi writes weighted music; it feels heavy, dripping with a palpable intensity and underlying emotion. This is furthered by his aptitude as an unholy Dr. Moreau of music, taking natural and synthesized sounds and distorting, slicing, and dicing them into unrecognizable scraps that help create his signature style.

'Technologies in House Music' begins with 'Living in a Video' featuring guest Niconote, an intro track that immediately showcases Greppi's dark mood and affinity for samples. A deep vocal preface discusses the tripped out finer points in life - "the night, mushrooms, light, delight" - before a bouncy synth and tweaked industrial sounds move it forward.

Track 2, Greppi's remix of Ad Finem's 'Angel', is an incredibly deep expression. The beautiful wraith voice lamenting "on wings of angels to protect me" and the deep rolled bass provide a touching sentiment but sliding melodies and vocal chunks that are chopped up and dropped into a glass jar give this a unique feel and mystique. Used early in a set especially, it has a world of potential.

The disc continues with some of Greppi's remixes. The Italian does some nice rearrange of Polekat's twisted homage to ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' uttering "I'll play your game but only until I get what I want…You know what I mean?" Then a very progressive reedit of DAF's 'Your Heart' with its siren vocals and rumbling low frequencies should rattle your chest cavity if you play it with some bass. All before a tribal, not completely dub remix of 'The Mask' by Against The Grain. The beat in 'The Mask' remains fairly stagnant but wit slight changes it adds to the track's nervous anticipation and build. A parade of new layers seamlessly appear and disappear (including its underlying pads and drones, distinct and surprising vocals, and what sounds like a cat's meow).

Greppi teams up with Andrea Felli for the self-proclamation 'I Am' - a deceptive basement track that deserves a dark room deep in the night, before 'Una Questione Informatica' further slices samples into progressive layers and creates another quirky, dark, and disturbing mood.

There are two 'Electro-Pop' remixes on this album, although the original is sadly missing. The first mix, an ambient version, relies heavily on many of the same elements as the original but never drops the beat. On the other hand, the second remix, once again a labeled dub that isn't too dubby, can stand alone as a progressive gem all on its own. It shares very few similarities with the original, besides the programmed utterance of the title that is repeated throughout. Any fan of Saints and Sinners classic 'Pushin’ Too Hard' can appreciate the baseline while snares, hi-hats, and banks of percussion keep the house roots fully intact.

The last track is the original 'Freedom Is…' which was first released in 2000. Its driving bass and step harmonies in every phrase stir under the shopping list of definitions for freedom- the last of which is appropriately freedom though the expression of music. As a last track, 'Freedom Is…' anthems the album and reinforces everything that is right with Stefano's production.

'Technologies In House Music' is a grinding exploration in sinking moods and computer thoughts. Every detail is meticulously plotted. Using samples and effects like rhythmic rudiments, Greppi finds new cavernous depths of the soul that are twisted and mechanical yet warm and emotive. All tracks are separated and easy to mix, some even breaking down to just beats, and not having any sequencing detracts a little from the journey. But aside from that and the absence of the original 'Electro-Pop', this is a superb and pioneering album that showcases Greppi's vast talent.