Album Review: Borderline Tenderness, VTSS

By Resonate | April 28, 2021

Words Dylan Shortridge

Following a sprinkling of singles in the early months of 2021, VTSS (real name Martyna Maja) is back with a 6 track EP Borderline Tenderness, released on Maenad Veyl (AKA Avatism) and Alex Knoblauch’s label, VEYL. Emerging from Warsaw and relocating to Berlin, VTSS is a true force of nature. Aggressively playing her way through the European dance circuit and carving her mark on every club, record label and collaborator she leaves in her wake.

Known for her brutal take on techno, EBM, hardcore and acid, a VTSS track will always stand out in the mix due to the sheer weight and size. The tracks on Borderline Tenderness are no slouches when it comes to hard and fast bangers, yet there is also a more subdued side to her music. Tracks such as Woah play much more with the textures of the sound with glitchy effects that are reminiscent of trippy early Aphex Twin records. 

The EP also boasts a handful of features: vocals from LSDXOXO, Jazmine Azarian as well as a collaboration with Sonic Groove’s Crystal Geometry. These collabs are where VTSS spreads her wings, propelling the project from a solid techno release to something that will leave a lasting mark on the new generation of techno artists that VTSS is doing so much to shape.

On the whole, this release will leave you watering at the mouth thinking about the eventual reopening of clubs, but a year into the pandemic that’s not necessarily saying much on its own. I’m sure these tracks will be cropping up in sets from the likes of Nina Kraviz, SPFDJ, Héctor Oaks and this is a testament to the quality of the tracks, but I can’t help but feel like there’s something lacking when putting the tracks in context; a great collection of tracks, a decent EP.

7/10

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