Category Archives: Switched On

New music – Lost Souls of Saturn: Reality Hacked (Remix album) (Holoverse Research Labs)

Posted on by
Reply

published by Ben Hogwood – text is reproduced from the press release

Seth Troxler and Phil Moffa’s multi-hyphenate, multi-dimensional Lost Souls Of Saturn have always been an extended and evolving tribe of co-conspirators, and for their new digital remix album Reality Hacked (which is preceded by two vinyl remix EPs), the pair have called upon some of electronic music’s finest. The result is a set of reworks of tracks from their second album Reality, which takes the originals and scatters them even deeper across the galaxy. Out today, Om Unit’s take on This Foo delivers a masterclass in post dubstep drum work, which you can listen to below:

Elsewhere Pangaea presents some of his best material, turning Click into a pacey neon rave pumper, whist Danny Daze and his D33 alter-ego beams Lilac Chaser into bloopy-minimal-space-race headspace – you can listen below:

UNKLE aka James Lavelle turns Click into a grandiose, Ibiza-friendy pop prog anthem, whilst Matthew Dear goes in the opposite direction on his version of Mirage, delving into deep-beat cosmic fractals. For her take on Mirage Perel goes big on the oompty-boom-tish-euro-fist-pump, whilst Jonny Rock reassembles the same track into an unclassifiable avant space chugger. Brendon Moeller delivers not one, not two but three versions of Scram City; a ‘House Dub’, which does what it says on the tin, a pulsatile submarine throbber under his Echologist moniker, and a Reshape, which combines the dub techno for which he’s renowned with 90-style breakbeat science and 70s Krautrock.

Earlier this year, whilst on various capers across the farthest reaches of space, Lost Souls Of Saturn metamorphosed into sci-fi AR comic characters John and Frank. They returned back to earth with their perception-melting new LP Reality, which was described as “the kind of record you make at the top of your game” by Resident Advisor.

‘Reality’ was accompanied by a cutting-edge augmented reality graphic novel, which tells the origin story of John and Frank. It’s a genuinely new type of total artwork, with comic, augmented reality and musical soundtrack working together to create a type of synesthesia. Every spread, page and panel, when viewed through a tablet screen or AR headset/glasses, comes to life in animated 3D. Moreover, the LSOS soundtrack is synched perfectly, with the music fully integrated, looping and layering as the reader follows the panels of the comic itself. A soundtrack that evolves as the graphic novel is read is the first of its kind. This is music, animation and illustration in sync like never before.

Coinciding with the album and comic release, Lost Souls Of Saturn held a month-long multimedia exhibition at London’s cutting-edge public art platform W1 Curates. Described by Evening Standard as “one particular corner of central London transformed into a giant, interactive comic book”, it bought LSOS’ conceptual word-building to vivid three-dimensional life. A first in the comic book world, augmented reality visions from the comic were shown on giant super high-definition floor-to-ceiling LED screens not only inside the gallery, but on Oxford Street itself.

The AR comic and W1 Curates London event continued Lost Souls Of Saturn’s previous experiments in the augmented reality sphere; their AR billboards in London and Ibiza, their exploratory work in the field of 3D printing and AR markers, and their creation of Mixmag magazine’s first AR triggered front cover.

Challenging the convention of ‘format’ in every sense, LSOS transmit and engage via the mediums, to date, of vinyl record, digital, art installation, artefact, augmented reality, 360 video and live performance.

Through LSOS, Troxler, Moffa and cohorts explore new ways to open doors of perception and challenge the ways we see our world, whilst marrying the prescient visions, political aspirations and psychedelic energy of science fiction and early rave culture, with postmodern philosophy and contemporary art.

Their collaborations to date include Fondation Beyeler, Olafur Eliasson, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) Saatchi Gallery (London), Museum Of Contemporary Art Detroit, the Centre D’Art Contemporain Geneva, Wolfgang Tillmans, Ernest Neto, W1 Curates, Carl Craig and Pepe Braddock.

They have performed live at Fabric, Field Day, Glastonbury and Kappa Futur.

Published post no.2,225 – Wednesday 10 July 2024

Switched On – Unstern: Es Geht Der Tag (Alter)

Posted on by
Reply

by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Unstern are described in the press release for this album as a ‘devotional music outfit’, a label that makes perfect sense when you listen to their music.

At its heart are the workings of ambient artist Arzat Skia and pianist Leo Svirsky, with studio collaboration from Civilistjävel!, Skia and Stefan Betke. While leaning heavily on electronics there is a good deal of acoustic input, from two pianos ‘refracting across the stereo field, processed recordings from the Peruvian Amazon, bowed percussion by Greg Stuart, alongside strings and renaissance meantime organ recorded at Orgelpark in Amsterdam.

The idea is to produce an audio illusion, where incremental repetition leads to an eventual departure from the music heard at the start, inspired by but not limited to the craft of Morton Feldman. The album title – translating as The day goes – links up with that.

What’s the music like?

Es Geht Der Tag works on several levels. As background music it is sonorous and sublime, its foreground giving a deep sense of perspective made even more rounded with the bass of the opening track, whose curious title – All the Kingdoms of the World in a Moment Of Time – suddenly becomes clear. It is as though ancient and modern civilizations are aligning in the same place, and the wide range of the spectrum gives it a huge spatial arc.

And yet it works as music without any of the floral descriptions, slow moving progressions that are both soothing and energising. We hear the reassuring tread of the organ pedals during Of Fire And The Many-Eyed Wheels, with thicker clouds of ambience up top and an insistent, throbbing percussion right at the far end.

Malign Star has a slow moving stillness and distance, cast by what sounds like a muted trumpet, ending up as a disparate chorale. In The Roar of Your Channels has a colder, static ambience, but Es Geht der Tag sur Neige introduces heavy footprints and an even colder outlook, the sense of snow beneath the feet difficult to shake off! 

Does it all work?

It does. You can approach this music from several directions – from the thick ambience of GAS and the like, the reserved yet intense writing of Morton Feldman, or the more processed chillout music of Chicane. All are valid departure points to end up in an extremely chilled-out place.

Is it recommended?

It is. This is a rather special album, its mixture of ancient and contemporary creating a strange tension but ultimately a wonderful sense of calm. Listen and fall under its spell.

For fans of… GAS, Loscil, Morton Feldman, Arvo Pärt, Sofia Gubaidulina

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,234 – Tuesday 9 July 2024

Switched On – Emika: Haze (Emika Records)

Posted on by
Reply

by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

From Emika’s own words: “I’ve had this sound in my head for many years, this record saved my life”.

Haze finds Emika unifying a lot of the elements that have been present in her music so far – in the words of the Bandcamp commentary, ‘a blend of her neoclassical descending melodies, signature breathy, female vocals, icy pianos, heavy sub-bass vibrations and layered Hazy beats. Let’s call it Emika’s love-affair with the Future Garage genre.’

What’s the music like?

This is music to dive into, as Emika hits the sweet spot between pure ambience and busy musical activity. The latter brings positive energy through glitchy beats, murmured vocals and piano-driven motifs, often manipulated in music that wraps the listener up like cotton wool.

Emika cleverly weaves in thematic unity between the pieces, with slowly descending motifs that are presented with different backdrops or energy, the beats usually moving quickly and delicately in the middle ground.

(star key) is a beauty for the morning after, the familiar descending motif given fluttering beats and expansive production for company and setting the mood for the rest of the album. The breakbeats are crisply executed, reminiscent of Bicep or Burial but striking out individually too.

As the album progresses the pieces get shorter, their one-word titles (Ache, Shards, Rain, the beat-driven Waltz), are borne out in music of descriptive, cold elegance. Smoke is a beauty, with chord progressions of frozen beauty, while Writer exerts thoughtful arpeggios and breathy vocals that float on air. Low End feels like a piece of ‘Netflix noir’, and indeed much of the music would be very much at home providing the soundtrack for an Alex Garland series.

Does it all work?

It does. This is atmospheric music, perfect for mindful contemplation but with plenty of energy to reward foreground listening.

Is it recommended?

Very much so. Emika is one of those consistently versatile artists who is often on the move in a good way – and that is certainly the case here. Lively yet ambient, Haze is the ideal antidote to the overexposure and overstimulation given to us by the modern world.

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,230 – Friday 5 July 2024

Switched On – James Devane: Searching (umeboshi)

Posted on by
Reply

by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

James Devane has been busy – but along with his personal investment comes music of chance.

In his own words: “These recordings are the result of chance. Using hours of source material, everything was “chosen”, manipulated, and assembled at random via custom software without concern for key, tempo, measures, or rhythm. A search button and a save button.”

What’s the music like?

Consistently good – with a wide range of sonic panoramas as the album unfolds. The glitchy rhythm of Kilter proves to be rewarding, with a spatial backdrop. On One Place he puts the squeeze on the melodic material, and the same with the hi hat appropriation on No More No Less. Bottom Dweller is surprisingly ambient, while Vascai has a fulsome presence.

As part of the varied emotional backdrop, Maybe Tomorrow is a bassy beauty ending in a rich pool of sound, before the dubby Last Strut. Lights Down Low is heavier and bassy but atmospheric with it, while the booming Ending is almost too oppressive but signs off in style. 

Does it all work?

Yes – a wide variety of styles for sure, but brought together in a way that makes Searching a coherent album.

Is it recommended?

It is. James Devane proves himself to be a highly versatile producer, traversing a number of contrasting moods through this album. It proves extremely effective, a really impressive addition to the canon.

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,229 – Thursday 4 July 2024

New music – Bruce Brubaker: Eno Piano 2.0 (InFiné)

Posted on by
Reply

by Ben Hogwood

One of the standout piano albums of last year was Bruce Brubaker’s Eno Piano, a reduction of some of the ambient master’s work for solo keyboard – about which Brubaker and Arcana had a very enjoyable conversation last year.

Now we bring news of a sequel later in the year, with Eno Piano 2 due to be released on 25 October. It is prefaced by a radio version of 1-1 from Music for Airports, which will no doubt be made available soon. In the meantime, you can enjoy being reacquainted with the full version below:

Published post no.2,216 – Monday 1 July 2024