Toki Fuko’s latest EP on Joachim Spieth’s Affin diverges noticeably from the hypnotic warehouse techno of 2020’s Astatine EP on the label, veering towards a more ambient-inflected sound. Sitting somewhere between his Radial Magnetisation and Floating EPs, this release focuses on conjuring and shaping sonic spaces, vistas, and daydreamings.

The tense, expansive Anja kicks off the EP. Just shy of twelve minutes long, this is a little epic of immersive, moody dub techno. Driven by propulsive bass discharges with a muted, intricate pattering of rhythm underpins a wonderfully rich and immense sense of space filled with the interplay of soaring pads. A perfect soundtrack for floating over ragged, isolated coastlines.

Narration 4 is much more subdued. A dreamy little piece of bedroom dub techno that evokes memories of micro-house. It ticks over with confidence, comfortable to just bring warmth and interest in its detailing.

Black Hole, then, returns to a more ominous tone. A lingering, haunting track that traces the lonely movement of planetary bodies through space and the often violent nature of their interactions. As the title suggests, Black Hole is somewhat a rendering in the sound of a central point of violence around which all galactic order is established.

Narration 2 closes out the EP with an exercise in provoking claustrophobia. Nine minutes of relentless, languid, dubby techno.

The tracks on Narration may feel somewhat disparate, but they are drawn together not so much through consistency of mood as they share a commonality of intrigue. Each track asks you to engage with its own little world to explore. Doing so is a pleasure.