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“Unieqav, already his third release of 2018, completes the Uni series with an album that delivers on the radical promise of the first two. If those earlier records made Nicolai's work more rhythmic, then Unieqav goes even further, adapting his crystalline sounds and precise programming in a contemporary techno form. Nicolai is hardly a stranger to dance floors. His projects have collided with techno over the years, and even his experimental work has ended up in DJ sets. (Ben Klock memorably ended his fabric mix with an Alva Noto track.) But rarely has Nicolai engaged with techno as directly as on Unieqav. "Uni Sub" is classic Alva Noto abstraction with a typical techno sound palette of corrugated metals and rumbling basslines. The ominous mood on "Uni Version" sounds like it could've come from Northern Electronics, yet the static-coated snares and clicky drums are unmistakably Nicolai's. "Uni Dna"—featuring the French poet Anne-James Chaton reciting the names of amino acids—hints at the conceptual techno of Atom TM.

In subtly dramatic moments like "Uni Normal," with its deep reverb and broken rhythms, Unieqav recalls the work of artists like Kangding Ray and Byetone. Other tracks are fresh-sounding takes on the techno template. Amid "Uni Blu"'s bleepy beat, a searing synth lead mimics an electric guitar. The fast, twitchy techno of "Uni Edit" crams more into its one-and-a-half minutes than most tracks do in eight. It's on tracks like these, where Nicolai's signature sound meets a wealth of sharp ideas, that Unieqav is most distinctive.” – Resident Advisor

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