Audiopile Review: Couple of things that MFs don’t seem to appreciate about Finnish minimal techno brutalists Pan Sonic. First, that the members released some pretty essential solo projects. Second, that these dudes could, when the mood took them, produce music that was shockingly dancefloor friendly. For evidence to back up both points, hear ‘Metri’, an album the late Mika Vainio’s Ø project released on Sähkö Recordings back in 1994. ‘Metri’ is an epic creation divided into two parts. The first of these covers an astonishing array of dance music styles, from acid house to nu skool elektro to happy hardcore and beyond. It’s all extremely minimal, but Pan Sonic’s trademark sonic sneer is replaced by a playful openheartedness. It’s more Ricardo Villalobos than Throbbing Gristle. In part two, proceedings take a distinct turn for the abstract. But the vibe’s overall warmth remains unaltered, even as the sound gets increasingly austere. Taken as a whole, ‘Metri’ is an impressively massive construction built from a million tiny pieces.

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Mika Vainio’s first album that many regard as one of the most essential foundations of electronic music.