Matzak Life Beginnings

• Words: Doug Morton
• Label: Boxer
• XLR8R Rating: 7/10

Right on the heels of his debut 12" release on Kickboxer, young Nicolas Matuszczak goes whole-hog with a full-length dose of emotionally crafted techno, certain to raise the bar among his fellow Frenchmen. "Algol Star" and "Girl in Water" form around crisp, percolating, 4/4 guidelines while layers of delightfully caustic synth melodies and thick, warbling basslines press forward in a superbly modulated flow. There is a wistful beauty in his storyline approach-whether in the brooding heft of "Lamuerte" or the light-footed shuffle of "Physical"-that demonstrates his duality as songwriter and track-smith.