Harmonic 313 – When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence

Presenter

Adam Trainer

Published

Friday 13th February

Warp

Hype is obligatory whenever Warp release anything these days, but even more so when the latest signing is somewhat closer to home.
Syndey-based Mark Pritchard, aka Harmonic 313 is originally from the UK, and his music is steeped in the traditions of British dance music of all styles, from garage to dubstep to house, but with an obvious debt to Detroit techno as well. This debut album does a pretty solid job of chucking them all in a pot and stirring. Pritchard comes up with a hybrid that lets the subtleties of each simmer to the surface.

It glistens with the sheen of classic techno, wiggles its booty salaciously like the finest hip hop and follows through with some quality gut-rumbling squelchified basslines ala dubstep and jungle.

Unapologetically synthetic, the only human moments come from guest vocal appearances by Detroit rappers Phat Cat and Elzhi, and Londoner Steve Spacek. It all sounds pretty slick too – the production is second to none and the beats are nicely complemented with minimal but occasionally evocative synth melodies. But of course, machines have not yet exceeded human intelligence, and call me old-fashioned, but I rue the day it happens. You see, as slick and shiny and optimally enhanced as When Machines is, sometimes there really does seem to be a lack of human emotion at the helm. A quality release then – but one that bristles not with a living joie de vivre but (to quote electro-masters Kraftwerk) a calculated “cold feeling”.