Browsing Tag

minimalist electronica

Circuit Symphony: The Electrified Emotions of Bruce Cohen’s ‘Dance of the Siren’

Posted on 22 November 2024

With ‘Dance of the Siren,’ the virtuosic composer Bruce Cohen unveiled a composition that is as intricate as it is profound, drawn from his latest album, ‘8 BC.’ By blending the ornate richness of neo-classical elements with the pulsating depths of sci-fi intrigue, each note seems to decide whether to comfort or challenge the listener.

Cohen’s mastery in synthesising disparate musical traditions is evident, as ‘Dance of the Siren’ embarks on a voyage through lush, theatrical gravitas and bursts into scintillating sci-fi phases. This duality in tone and texture transforms the listening experience into an exploration of emotions, leaving one oscillating between catharsis and disturbance—a true testament to his unique position in the electronic music sphere.

Cohen’s journey in music has been a kaleidoscope of genre-defying ventures. From scoring plays like ‘Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde‘ at Philadelphia’s Walnut Theatre to forming the heavy, psychedelic jazz trio Big Fun 3, his creative bandwidth stretches far and wide.

His solo projects resonate with a penchant for German electronic minimalism and ambient soundscapes reminiscent of luminaries like Brian Eno and Klaus Schulze. With each album from ‘1 BC’ to ‘8 BC,’ Cohen has progressively dipped deeper into his own experimental ethos, melding ambient, funk, and trance elements to forge a distinct sonic signature.

Dance of the Siren was officially released on November 11th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get in Rhythm with Katerpilla’s Latest Electronica Dreamscape, Shadow Dance

Posted on 3 February 2024

Shadow Dance, a pivotal track from Katerpilla’s latest LP, Sneaking in a Dream, is synthesised sugar for the pill; an aural antidote for the frenetic momentum of the modern era, which defies the conventional boundaries of electronica.

Katerpilla, known offstage as Matthew Chamberlain, weaved a minimalist yet profoundly intricate soundscape that both challenges and seduces the listener; it’s a sophisticated interplay of rhythm and melody.  The genius of Shadow Dance lies in its ability to marry the mechanical with the melodic. Katerpilla’s architectural background shines through in his meticulous construction of sound. Each note and beat is carefully placed, creating a structure that is as robust as it is ethereal.

Sneaking in a Dream signifies a bold step forward from Katerpilla’s debut, Chase the City. While the essence of his creative process remains – the fusion of sounds from diverse synths – there’s a noticeable shift towards a more refined, less layered approach. This stripped-back style results in a darker, more immersive sound, distinct in its genre.

Shadow Dance is a testament to Katerpilla’s skill as a producer. His superlative ability to submerge his audience into hypnotic introspection is unrivalled.  It’s a piece that doesn’t just resonate; it transcends, marking Katerpilla as a visionary artist in a genre that thrives on innovation.

Katerpilla’s new album, Sneaking in a Dream, will be available to stream on all major platforms from February 2nd. Stream it on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Revel in the petrichor of Shaun Cruda’s electro-soul synthesis, Ashville Rain

Posted on 1 October 2023

Shaun Cruda’s 20k monthly Spotify listeners got a brand-new stylistic soundscape to savour when the LA producer delivered his latest sensuously cathartic single, Ashville Rain, on September 22.

As the dark days creep in, the sanctuary of ethereal luxe atmosphere in Ashville Rain will only become more inviting. By borrowing a few trip-hop elements from the pioneers and modernising them in his synthesis of electro-soul, there are few better singles to revel in the petrichor with.

The instrumentals resound beyond their minimalist quiescence to deliver the ultimate playlist staple for nocturnal introspection while the vocals breed a beguiling sense of intimacy as they harmonise the lyricism that narrates a spectral love letter. Familiar, yet far beyond the bars set by his contemporaries, the single is a testament to the multi-faceted talents of the artist who can pen a track as well as he can polish it and move a dancefloor from behind a DJ booth.

Stream Ashville Rain on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

terrel flower explores disassociation with his Lynchian glitch-hop track, ‘I’m not me’.

Posted on 21 May 2021

Experimental artist terrel flower has released his sophomore single, I’m not me, it may be difficult to pigeonhole in terms of genre, but in terms of feeling, it’s a reflection of dissociative ennui that kicks with an artfully Lynchian feeling of desolation.

Sticking to the darker side of the tonal palette in the downtempo and minimalist single, terrel flower gave the single a chilling atmosphere that allows you to carouse in monochromatic lament. With elements of glitch hop and ambient EDM within the single, fans of Portishead and Hooverphonic will want to indulge in the dark yet compassionately resonant single that welcomes you in and offers solidarity from the track title alone. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but neither was Albert Camus’ poetry, and therein lies the outlier beauty in I’m not me.

I’m not me is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jeff Goldsmith – ambient, narrative sounds with ‘Waiting Window’

Posted on 7 May 2021

Jeff Goldsmith is a composer, sound engineer, and producer based out of Minneapolis; ‘Waiting Window’ the first track from his forthcoming album ‘May You Find The Light Before The Devil Knows He’s Right’ – composed and recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic – is a dark, brooding, piece, semi-neo-classical, semi-industrial, and mainly instrumental. All based around field recordings and live samples from Minneapolis, it’s a mix of the avant-garde, elements of alt-rock mixing with a repeating piano motif, sampled ambient noises, and speech, all building slowly throughout the five-and-a-half minutes of the track. At times sounding like Phillip Glass or Mike Oldfield, others with dashes of the softer parts of Nine Inch Nails or Ministry, switching still to the Orb or Ozric Tentacles. It’s an entrancing, evocative mix of alternative, dark ambient, and auditory narrative soundscape.

You can catch the video for ‘Waiting Window’ on YouTube; find out more about Jeff Goldsmith and his work here.

Review by Alex Holmes

Spacecadet Lullabies’ haunting, cross-generational family ‘Heirloom’

Posted on 10 April 2021

Following the death of his parents, Melbourne-based musician, composer, and producer Matt Lewin started the always-difficult task of sorting through possessions; one such item was an old reel-to-reel tape recorder, containing the outlines of 28 previously unheard compositions for voice and piano, made by his grandfather in the late 1960’s. Lewin took these sketches, interpreting them through his own unique compositional trope, avoiding using his father’s voice or reinterpreting the original compositions, adding instead an ambient, minimalist soundscape around the original recordings to create a unique father-and-son collaboration which reaches across the years.

What we’re left with is a hauntingly beautiful, peaceful-yet-uplifting collection of mellow, downtempo electronica, a deeply original, personal musical conversation which feels both timeless and remarkably contemporary. Lewin’s sympathetic approach allows space for the original compositions to breathe and grow, whilst adding up-to-date touches with synthesised and sequenced instrumentals evoking feelings of peace, tranquillity, hope, and solace.

Lewin’s album, ‘The Map Maker’, is released on March 18th; you can hear ‘Heirloom’ via BandCamp, and check out Spacecadet Lullabies here.

Review by Alex Holmes

Franz Kirmann and Roberto Grosso have released their collaborative electronica mix ‘Saudade’

Posted on 23 March 2021

Electronica luminaries Franz Kirmann and Roberto Grosso combined their signature sounds in their latest release, ‘Saudade’. The collaborative mix unravels through pulsating beats, glassy synths, and flurries of intricate notes that almost allow Saudade to tease neoclassic properties. But at its core, Saudade boasts a tribalistic drive that you’ll want to strap yourselves in for.

The quiescent release allows the styles of Nils Frahm and Thom York to meet in the modular-synth-middle, to entrancing effect. If anything can strip away lockdown anxiety and angst, it’s Saudade.

Saudade is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

John McCrea sets a post-classical score with ‘Mantra Mantra’

Posted on 12 February 2021

Dublin-based composer and electronica artist, John McCrea, paints with textures of post-classical, Europop and ambient minimalism, yet his un-constrainable sonic prowess becomes more than just sound through the imagery it inspires and the emotion it evokes. The perfect introduction to their cinematic style is the title single to their latest solo album, ‘Mantra Mantra’.

Mantra Mantra is a progressively sensual whirlwind of intensity which permits flurried piano notes to capture urgency while the low reverberant hum of the bassline is a grounding layer of realism which reflects the dread which is very much a part of our mortal coil.

It’s so much more than your average vibe out playlist essential, crank up the volume and you’ll enter a new world constructed by the enigmatic artist who has made a name for himself writing for theatre and dance. His talent is just as mesmerising as a standalone soundscape, there are a plethora of layers to unpack, any attempt to dissect the soundscape feels like butchery.

Mantra Mantra is available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spielbone has released their neo-classic electronica aid to rumination ‘Les mérites du doute’

Posted on 2 February 2021

German-Ivorian composer, Spielbone, made their debut in 2018 with their minimalist neo-classic twist on ambient electronica, in 2020, he released his pacifyingly immersive album ‘Infinitesimal’ any fans of Nils Frahm or similar contemporaries are going to want to pay attention.

In a time when sanctity of any form is scarce, meditative soundscapes such as Les mérites du doute are worth their weight in aural gold. As Chamber strings draw across the keys, the ruminative soundscape pulls you in deeper into the sanguine essence. Spielbone’s ability to set synapses alight and make heartstrings feel taut will undoubtedly see him going far in 2021 and beyond.

You can hear the album for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast