A mistaken belief that people unfamiliar with the techno genre have is that all techno is hard, fast, aggressive music. And whilst some techno is, there is also much techno that is beautiful and melodic. Deetron’s debut album, Twisted, is included in the latter category. Taking in influences ranging from his jazz musician father to the sounds of Detroit techno and Chicago house, Deetron has produced an album full of dancefloor tracks that range in styles but are united by moments of beauty.

The album opens with the atmospheric, sci-fi influenced Twisted Memories. Taking its cue from the Detroit-tradition, this track is perfect for low-lit, low-ceilinged rooms. Life Soundtrack sees Deetron moving in an acid-loop direction, but featuring the old-school Chicago-style vocals of DJ Bone. This is followed by the melodic Mr Smooth, its orchestral soundscape swirling around you. Isotope also typifies Deetron’s melodic style, the track combining a brightness of melody with driving beats and synths, harkening to Derxciya’s work. Next up is I Cling, which combines multi-layered, complex loops with the vocals of LA based singer Ovasoul 7 (“I cling to anything that helps me”), the music perhaps reflecting the vocal’s confused state of mind. Sol also contains complex instrumentation, its name suggested by the sunny brightness of the melody.

Let’s Get Over It moves to a funkier style of techno, leaning towards house, featuring Robert Owen-esque style vocals from Justin Chapman. Silence and My Plan continue in this vein with some Detroit-style deep house, the former a short instrumental of deliciously cascading electronic melodies, whilst the latter is in a reflective vein. The Afterlife is a distinctive, tense, minimal track, best played during a madcap crazy part of the night, featuring the gritty voice of Paris the Black Fu from Detroit Grand Pubahs that at times descends into demented refrains. Chord Me wraps the album up on an optimistic note with its carefully measured, melodic techno.

Despite the diversity of styles found on it, Twisted is a true album that contains a natural flow. Making for great home listening as well as being destined for the dance floor, it is a talented debut album from Deetron.