Although Industrias Mekanikas already have their next releases lined up (an EP by Asymetric80 and the highly anticipated third installment of Antikhrist Visions), we didn’t want to let the year end without reviewing this fantastic E-bony LP released this past summer on Rubén Montesco’s label. For once, we’re getting good news from Israel: their vibrant music scene continues to deliver quality, as we can see on this double LP of twelve original tracks where techno and electro coexist in perfect harmony. To find out if a record will work on the dancefloor, I play it to my wife, DJ Dead Violet Nights, and if she keeps it for her collection, that means we’re dealing with great material for the club: with Digital Dawn, it only took two tracks for the double vinyl to earn a spot in her record bag.
Naor Dayan, better known as E-bony, is one of the key players in Tel-Aviv’s buzzing nightlife and as producer, released his first EP in 2021. Back then it was Dalmata Daniel who gave him his break, though he’s also recorded for Italo Moderni, Dame-Music, and Khoinix, who released his first LP. For this second full-length, he’s collaborated with Greek producer Noamm on four tracks. As a reminder, we’ve recently heard the latter on a Gladio split and on an EP for Distrito91.
Digital Dawn kicks off with the album’s title track, a powerful track with menacing synths and a sense of danger. “Phantom Pulse” is an unsettling, dark composition with a spine-chilling synth melody. One of the album’s best. Hard-hitting beats, plenty of detail, and a futuristic sound is what we find on “Matrix Code,” the first collaboration of the album with Noamm. And for the second one, what better name than “Electro Duet”? This is a frenetic back-and-forth with a ghostly melody and carefully crafted production. “Toxic Euphoria” is somewhat more hypnotic with truly crystalline sounds; to close out the flip side, he delivers one of his best tracks, a synth fantasy called “Eclipse” with a groovy rhythm.
C-side includes three solo E-bony tracks, starting with “Aurora Noir” with its choppy synths and futuristic sound and atmosphere. “Captured Planet” could easily appear on a sci-fi movie soundtrack and also has an infectious rhythm. What strikes me about “Techno Mirage” is its hardness—it takes no prisoners. D- side opens with the quite original “Data Delight” and continues with another Noamm collaboration entitled “Distorted Programming,” another fine electro piece that reminds me of some works by The Hacker. The albums comes to an end with a more atmospheric track, “Synthetic Art,” where once again the excellent production stands out.
