- Oliver Ho hasn't released a solo record under his own name in ten years, but only because he has been occupied with his other projects—most recently, the deviant sounds of Broken English Club. The 20th anniversary of Blueprint, the label behind much of Ho's early output, ends that streak with Burning Heretics, a four-track EP revisiting his skills as a techno craftsman.
The broken-beat title track is geared for peak-time demolition, its modulated squelches and stormy reverb making the whole thing feel like it could explode. On ambient cut "Worship," the ping-ponging percussion and prickly greyscale atmosphere usher in what sounds like a voice drenched in effects—a sense of humanity, however inscrutable, has been a Ho hallmark since the beginning. A 4/4 cut with a huge, distorted lead and incisive hi-hat rushes, "Control" is the standout. It's one-riff, no-bullshit techno at its most commanding. "Genuflect"'s slightly subdued percussion offers more open space, but it's eventually saturated with nerve-wracking energy. The title says it all—Burning Heretics is a fiery release from Ho.
TracklistA1 Burning Heretics
A2 Worship
B1 Control
B2 Genuflect