Four disc boxset compiling all three of Stefan Betke's peerless records as Pole, released in consecutive years from 1998-2000. I remember this coming out at the time, my ears then not quite ready for its princely minimal dub-flecked techno soul. I'm certainly ready now. The years have been kind to Pole. This sounds as vital as ever. I say this a lot, but in these times of excess and superabundance, I appreciate the subtle and refined more and more. Betke is both a master architect and an informed aesthete, but crucially I'd never consider his music that most terrible of things - 'tasteful'. The decision making might be exact, but the emotion is overriding. Beautifully cavernous compositions that hit you firmly in the chest. File along Voight and Villalobos as amongst the best in the game
