A mix CD from Death in Vegas back in the day would have been exciting enough, but since the 2004 album Satan's Circus introduced a much more left-field sound for DIV, 2005's Fabriclive.23 brings a more curious kind of anticipation. Death in Vegas' volume of the tasteful Fabriclive series hints at the Krautrock love of the group's 2004 album, but branches out into atmospheric and sane electro, Detroit techno, and nostalgic acid house sounds. Rather than arcing up, the mix ebbs and flows, repeatedly peaking with grungy beats before settling into trippy sets of tunes that wouldn't be entirely out of place on the Hearts of Space radio program. The Detroit techno of Cybotron and Ectomorph sounds just perfect surrounded by all this futurism, as does Death in Vegas' own Kraftwerk-worshipping "Zugaga," but it's the minimalistic type of techno Alex Smoke creates that's right in the middle of all these tones. Dinky's cheeky "Acid in My Fridge" provides the needed levity at the midpoint while "Jenna" from John Dahlbäck ends the set on a high note. A satisfying mix that's more headphones than dancefloor, Fabriclive.23 is step two in Death in Vegas' thrilling rebirth as a heady mavericks.