isan - salamander
I've grown to like this record alot. The sounds are midtempo and
synthesized. Beats also are synthetic and sequenced, rarely sounding
sampled. There is nothing aggressive, cold, or bombastic about this record
which is very refreshing. It's got a ROUND SOUND. Another feature of this
album is its use of dynamics; tracks are allowed to fade in and build
energy rather than start cold. This is very musical and also rare in the
electronic music I've heard.
Some of the harmonies of the first few tracks sound a bit naive in that
'happy 2-bar IDM melody' sort of way, but are still good listening. Things
get even better with track four as the tempo increases slightly and urgency
replaces nostalgia. This improvement follows through as the remaining
tracks continue to offer new colors and tempos. A little bass guitar here,
a little Vangelis-like texture or lead line there. Midtempo electro, a
quiet electronic campfire song, and slight drum and bass. It's wonderful
how the diversity of styles is matched with a cohesive and unifying sound
on the record. A fine balance and a fine listen from beginning to end.
novisad - novisad
This gem is 10 tracks of very good and almost entirely beatless (but very
rhythmic) music from one Kristian Peters. The effect is shoegazer-like ...
the sounds are all warm, lo-fi and softly distorted.
The easiest comparison is to Oval, though novisad lacks the characteristic
glitches and popps. Stylistically it's somewhere between the warmth and
rhythm of Oval's 'systemisch' and the more recent and floaty (but colder)
sounds of 'dok'.
At other times I hear this as Basic Channel without the kick drum. Jetplane
taxi hum, interstate road noise, multilayered, very warm and hypnotically
rhythmic. But instead of remaining in the middle distance the warm surges
are allowed to fill the sound space entirely with their gentle loops.
Definitely could be used to good effect in a BC/minimal/dub set.
This release offers sounds and textures that recall some of my favorite
artists (Oval, BC, even Seefeel) but without sounding like a mere
sound-alike. To my ears novisad bring something new to the table. Highly
recommended for those looking to expand their ambient/experimental listening.
All comments welcome.
- Brad
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