Expanding on the success of Forward Strategy Group, label boss Smear has fashioned the new minimalist outfit, Retail & Leisure, with a new addition of the FSG corporate family. Retail & Leisure is in many ways the polar opposite of FSG, ditching their trademark dense, heavy techno in favour of simplicity, space and a more systematic approach to composition. Side A strips right down to the bare essentials, leaving little more than an ice-cold rhythm, bleep and hiss, creating a deep mix-tool for fans of artists such as Mika Vainio and Sleeparchive. The B side features a remix by FSG’s latest recruit Adrian Ross. Mechanical scrapes and clangs mesh with deep, pressing kicks to create a sound which is dense and impenetrable. Ross is a unique entity in techno: with a genuine outsider’s take on the genre, he is an exciting prospect and a great asset to the group. The final track is R&L’s take on dubstep, with dry, chalky percussion, discordant siren and churning bass. Snares spin, shuffle and shatter against the track’s main, oppressive rhythms. The record ends with some valuable advice on where one should position one’s feet. Support from Marcel Heese, Surgeon, Eric Cloutier, Obtane, Giorgio Gigli and more.