Sascha Ring, aka Apparat, has been quite the busy man these days. Manning the controls as producer and knob twiddler for renowned female operator, Ellen Allien, Sascha has also continued to run his highly acclaimed Shitkatapult label, together with compadre T. Raumschmiere. He's also collaborating with Radiohead's favorite electronic men of the moment, Modeselektor, under the Moderat moniker. Sascha's debut for the Neo Ouija imprint, "Shape Modes," is all about malfunctioning machines. Now that the scores of copyists and programmers have safely returned to their bedrooms, what's left are artists willing to challenge the format, advance it with sounds and show-stopping music. Check out "Get Out of Your Krib" for its delicious tempo and even more tempting low-end theories, a feisty and palpable thump offsetting the melodic fireworks, testing the boundaries and moving forward. "Shape Modes" encapsulates digital and analogue processes, involving abstract forms within familiar song structures.