T3R029 Benjamin Damage – UFO Incision

Benjamin Damage has long operated at the intersection of physical intensity and emotional depth, developing a distinct approach to Techno where machine-driven rhythms leave space for melody, atmosphere and movement. 

On UFO Incision, he pushes that balance across four tracks that move from expansive and melodic to increasingly stripped-back and rhythmically focused territory. 

Feel 4U opens with a rolling, tightly controlled groove. Dry, repetitive drums provide the drive, contrasted by bright, open pads that give the track a striking sense of space. Carefully placed vocal fragments cut through the arrangement, adding another layer of tension to a track that feels hard and propulsive while carrying a subtle melancholic depth. 

Solex expands the melodic side of the record. A shifting arpeggio forms its centre, moving against darker melodic tones, elevated pads and a captivating chopped vocal. Constant modulation keeps the track in motion, while a loose hi-hat groove offsets the rigidity of the low-end. Rather than settling into repetition, the arrangement continuously rises, falls and reshapes itself. 

The title track marks a shift in focus. Darker and more reduced, UFO Incision strips back much of the melodic language of the A-side in favour of rhythm and detail. Dry drums form a tightly locked groove, while bleeps, glitches and finely placed sonic interventions create complexity around a minimal framework. Precise and functional, it finds depth in the smallest movements. 

Orbitings closes the record with a warped take on acid. Swinging drums and a dry, hypnotic groove meet futuristic acid tones and deep, modulating stabs, creating a track that feels both stripped and constantly in motion. 

Across UFO Incision, Benjamin Damage moves between two sides of the same language: melody and function, openness and reduction, emotional weight and physical drive. Even at its most direct, detail and modulation keep the music evolving. Four tracks built for the floor without sacrificing depth or character.