There are only six tracks on this debut LP from Bolder, a two-member collective consisting of Martin Maischein and Peter Votava. This is a dark, digitally corrosive, and extremely atmospheric exploration of a world “where organic rhythms provide the path among a swarm of foreboding electronics.” At first listen I almost slotted Hostile Environment to be a Raster-Noton release, with its sharp electro percussive stabs, deep-rumbling bass, and surgically precise patterns; but it is thanks to Peter Rehberg’s Editions Mego label that I owe my gratitude for yet another introduction to an artist on the scene. In the past years I’ve been seriously gravitating towards the shadowy spectrum of sound, be it dark ambient, power electronics, or noir-fi. Bolder delivers elements of dun, dusk, and drab to the sterile lab lined with industrial instruments in sanitary form. Of course, music like this doesn’t simply erupt out of nothing – it slowly marinades on the back-burner of explored genres of the past: Maischein brings to the table his beatwork experience from the Heinrich At Hart project, recorded for Position Chrome label back in late 90s; while Votava has released under his Pure moniker throughout the past decade for imprints such as Staalplaat, Crónica and Praxis [he put together that No End Of Vinyl compilation with Miguel Carvalhais]. Recommended for fans of Cindytalk, Lucy and Prurient.