Review: Time Quake - The Return of the Living Rave EP (2024)

It is not often that we get new Techno-Rave tracks in recent years. Actually, since 93’ to this day, and even before that, the iconic “nosebleed techno” sound of Belgian Techno and Beltram-Hoover tracks quickly vanished from the aural realms of Rave music. The King, and Dominator of 1991, fell out of favor as fast as it rose to the throne. Its legacy marked all Rave music that came after it, leaving iconic stabs and buzzy synths throughout Breakbeat Hardcore, Gabber, Jungle, Goa, Hard Trance and ravey styles in general. But since then we only can have pieces of the whole, scattered, but not the whole experience that was this strand of “Hardcore Techno-House”. That means Techno tracks with Hardcore sounds (hoovers, mentasms, choir stabs), but also with underlying House-y grooves, a blend as explosive as it is avoided since those early days.

Because of that, new tracks or records in this style are always more than welcome. So we rejoice today with the release of a new EP by Time Quake, aptly named “The Return of the Living Rave”.

https://oldscoolproject.bandcamp.com/album/the-return-of-the-living-rave-91-rave-hardcore-techno-2024



The info section of the EP states in those same lines:

“90's Rave, Hardcore 'Techno' album with classics sounds of 90's era: stabs, acid, hoovers, orchestral hits, bangin kicks and basslines mixed with classic vocal samples. I want bring back alive again this magical Rave style (thats why it has this cheesy title: taken from 80-90's horror movie). Messiah album '21 century Jesus' was big inspiration for me, also tracks like 'Techno Syndrome' 'James Brown is Dead' 'No women allowed' 'Por La Patria' and many more (...).”

Even when the purpose of the EP points towards a completely retro sound, the fact is that the tracks also have a modern edge, with very good production values, but keeping the old spirit of Techno-Rave intact. And that’s maybe one of the greatest merits of this EP. But now let’s check the tracks, each one gloriously filled with menacing synths, dramatic stabs and perfectly crafted deranged riff-patterns.

First we have “Conan the Raver”, which starts with an orchestra of T99-like stabs, and a perfectly picked quote from Conan (1981) which states “let me tell you of the days of high adventure”. Besides the obvious reference to the hedonism that marked the surroundings of the very early 90s Hardcore Rave scene, the quote also points to a sense of adventure in the old times. Adventures in the musical realm, when standards weren’t set yet, and sounding perfect or cool wasn’t an issue. In that golden age, the focus was just on the exploration of crazy and mutant sounds amidst newfound intensity. The track makes justice to this call, playing homage to classic rave grooves and riffs, retaining a lot of the grit of these classic stabs but within a very powerful and pounding mix. Channel X’s “Rave the Rhythm” is clearly channeled through this banger of a track, but with a whole new epic edge. Also the barbarian reference is very well-played despite its apparent randomness, considering how music critic Simon Reynolds described the brutalist techno “barbarian hordes” invading the holy kingdom of rave during the early 90s, referring specifically this Beltram-Belgian sound.

The second track is maybe the best of the whole EP. Even when titled “Typical Number”, it is not the typical Techno-Rave groove we find here. Instead, its main lead/hook is reminiscent of bouncy saw lines from tracks like Insider’s “Destiny” or Channel X’s “A Million Colours (Illegal Mix)”. Meanwhile, the main stab-riff of the track does a very clever twist of the classic convulsive riff that unified hardcore in the early days, while the iconic “Acieeeed” sample yells at the listener. This track fleshes out sounds which are the very essence of the 91’ Hardcore style, but focusing on less evident evil patterns within the style rather than falling back on safer Techno-Rave tropes.

The third track, “Libertad o Muerte”, also does justice to its title, this time going towards the noisy approach of many Techno-Rave tracks of the past. The track takes those noisy and festive stab fanfares that were mostly inherited by Hard House and Hard NRG, which sound more energetic than lurking. The track is very well produced and manages to convey all that energy without falling into being messy. Hence, liberty is well earned, and with that liberty mad energy can span the whole place. And still, the track manages to sneak in a dramatic melody of choir stabs near the end, to give a darker hue to an otherwise more merry -yet deranged- track. Also, the track makes clear a recurring theme of freedom lost in this EP, as in Track 1. Freedom which is worth fighting for, by recovering these unrestrained sounds and patterns.

Last but not least, we have the track titled “House of Rave”. This track is also aptly named, given its more housey and chilly sections, which paves the way for the full barrage of stabs and convulsive riffs that we meet at the peak of the track. The housey parts are effective and make you wanna dance instantly, while the full swarm and stabs we meet later makes you shiver at this crescendo and surrender to the madness of its shapes. As in the previous track, all of the mix is very well done, and the riffs are excellent and interesting, giving freshness to otherwise well known rave patterns. After this last track, we get an encore with another mix of “Conan the Raver”, and a bonus mix of the whole EP, both as good as the rest of the EP.

The album art is also worth mentioning. A closed door which states “Don’t Open, Rave Inside”. Maybe a reference to Pandora’s box and all the evils that can be unleashed if this style is to be revived. Or maybe a reference to the fact that this style is still dormant and tightly enclosed, far from public consciousness even when being iconic and well-known. Either way, the unboxing of this EP proved quite satisfactory. Here we find one of the very few 21st century examples that bring the whole package of Techno-Rave, 91’ style. Not isolated sprinkled stabs like in the now very popular Hard Techno sound. Not a lurking hoover out of context. Not another UK styled Breakbeat Hardcore revival track, of which we have many. But the whole Wagnerian and deranged, bombastic, yet groovy experience of old Rave Techno, in a shiny new package.

Here we have maybe the most fleshed out “second coming” of this style also known as Belgian Techno. A close contender might be the Toxic Drop EP (2019) by rave veterans Liquid, also excellent and a recommended listen to put the reviewed EP in perspective. Other efforts to bring back this sound worth mentioning are the Nocturbulous Records compilation 1991 Rave Re-Gener8tor EP (2019), with big names like Olivier Abbeloos himself, or newcomers/fan efforts such as the Tekno Outbreak EP (2023) by Gnosvled, which also aim to bring back this sound in a very strict and revivalist way, and making the idea of a return a part of the lore itself.

In this context, even when not a veteran from the golden age of rave, Time Quake (a.k.a. Oldscool Project) has the merit of bringing the most solid EP of them all, with production values that can challenge the big names of the contenders mentioned above, and killer tracks that nail the iconic 91’ style at the same time. it gives it a breath of fresh air, coming from a new generation. It is indeed the best comeback this style has to this date, wicked and majestic, marking a new and very needed resurrection, or on its own terms, a Return of the Living Rave from 1991.