Describing himself as a "student of the Detroit techno school," Italian producer and DJ
Mattia Trani is entirely on the same wavelength as his teachers from the Motor City. His tracks are filled with vibrant synthesizer melodies and futuristic themes, so it's no surprise that he's caught the attention of the
Underground Resistance collective and his heroes such as
Jeff Mills and
Juan Atkins. His debut full-length,
The Hi-Tech Mission, is sequenced like a cosmic exploration, starting with a downtempo liftoff before blasting into high speed. He doesn't just stick to techno, replicating the sound of mid-'90s jungle on "Traffic 2 Traffic" and "Future Funk Return," both of which would've sounded at home on Reinforced or Metalheadz back in the day. The album's title track is overflowing with energy, basking its
Derrick May-like bass tones in bright melodies that feel like sunshine. "Symphony of a Cosmic Goddess" is slightly more wistful, and showcases
Trani's impressive, jazzy piano chops. "Alien Pattern" is the album's most frantic cut, with scrambled waves mutating and twisting over an insistent beat. "Metaphysic State" ventures into ecstatic, spacy electro, complete with vocoders. The entire album is remarkably dynamic and creative, and is an easy victory for the young Italian artist. ~ Paul Simpson