Navie D "Hyper Light In The Key Of D" (2016)

Often eliminating the percussion section and stripping back the layers of composition, Canadian producer Navie D chooses a striking change of pace for his full length debut. The ambiguous, alien sentiment of his striking synth driven style finds itself stricken from the mold of Hip Hop beats into an ambient, atmospheric piece resonating in mood and tone. In this change of pace a lot more convention is found in the often small set of instruments that grace us with intuitive minimalism.

 With a low density of sound, singular noises glance past one another over the rumble of distant buzz saws, fostering an atmosphere spacious, distant and ambiguous by design. With token instruments and a keen ear for volume, reverb and all things to further the desolation, a rather stark and lifeless feeling emerges from the small set of synths that hold these songs together. With no crescendos, progressive builds or moments of climax we very much step into the abyss for a brief glimpse at the beyond as lingering glimmers of melody forge the moment with a handful of notes.

In a fair few moments the album musters up a whirl of rhythmic energy where a buzzing rattle inspires the mechanical, percussive march of electronic dissonance on "The Hanged Man". A subdued pace has the striking of anvils and clanking of ratchets keep tempo with an industrial menace on "The Emperor". Half of the tracks here find mechanical tempos, devoid of groove and intent on atmosphere. They bounce back and forth between the minimal tracks which bare little resemblance to melody and tune.

It ends up being a somewhat impressive record that could pass you by if you fail to give it your attention. Already flirting with the void its alien synths, unsettling noises and eerie vibe may become background noise if your focus is consumed. Its lack of event or immediacy may leave you with little impact or memorability but in a way it feels as if the place we visit is intended to be forgotten. A change of pace that isn't fresh or original but well executed. My favorite moment is the end, "Credits" which for a brief moment leaves us with a whiff of melody and fading sentiment.

Favorite Tracks: Home, The Hierophant, Credits

Rating: 6/10

Navie D "Opra EP" (2014)

Following up on the newer "Post EP" record we check out another seventeen minute collection of five tracks that are very much of the same vein, so much so the two roll off one another. "Opra EP" shows the formula was minutely refined with big luminous leads, synths and ghetto whistles sparking the tracks to life with memorable melodies to mark a climactic moment in the tracks trajectory. This is very much the same record without those moments to kick it up a notch from the mediocrity these ambient, ambiguous beats can fall into when they fall from the forefront of attention.

As mentioned these instrumentals are atmospheric, a collage of dissonance where traditional synth instruments are distorted in ambiguity and oddities that give them an organic feeling of disorientation. When giving it a keen ear the instruments fall into place and seem more traditional. Its this leaning to the unusual that gives the record its dark dystopian flavor that revolves around the mid tempo beats that fade in and out of focus. With steady and stuttering Trap hi hats the pace is marked along with screeching, howling synthesizers and samples of operatic voices eerily drifting in from the shadows. Its melodies are subdued and server to not been seen as much which is where I feel the record looses something its follow up has. Progression for this sound is certainly on a positive path and with Navie D having released his full length debut It will be next on my playlist.

Rating: 4/10

Navie D "Post EP" (2016)

Hailing from Toronto Canada, Navie D is a producer with a distinct, and to my ears, fresh take on Hip Hop instrumentals. "Post EP" is his second release and one with a consistent feel through the five tracks. It rolls at a slower pace with an emphasis on atmosphere and a less bombastic, more industrial take on percussion. The drum loops are programmed with a modern touch, shuffling hi hats show a subtle Trap influence but mostly the beats accommodate the surrounding music made of ambiguous sounds in a state of organic transformation. Its layered and stacked with minute details that blur the distinction between melody and rhythm as these songs progress to let singular moments of melody shine from within the dissonant shell.

Its an excellent execution of composition that has all sorts of creepy and eerie sounds drifting into the fold. You'll hear dogs barking, human voices malformed and chopped into the songs soundscape and on "NYC" a barrage of ghostly vocals pitch shifted, shuffled and thrown at the listener in a dizzying state. Some instruments and percussive noises have such an add tone I wouldn't be surprised to learn there were more voices at work in the mix. Its what gives this otherwise meaty and industrial construct an eerily organic and human vibe.

On paper it would seem like a dark and twisted experience but all that's at work is held on the lighter side of ambiguity. One feels like the observer of a strange curiosity unfolding without threat or worry. In between these peculiar unravelings moments of life occur as each track has its moment where an instrument can burst into life and illuminate the atmosphere with synthetic toned instruments playing bold melodies where the songs are normally devoid of something as distinct. On "Junkyard King" it takes the form of a ghetto whistle that manages to be as charming without playing a G-Funk vibe.

This short record really impressed me but it does make me wonder if a rapper could bring something more to it. Because the instrumentals are so distinct they are exciting and fresh but at the same time these instrumentals feel like they set the tone and leave a lot of room for something else to take the forefront. Either way this was a great listening experience.

Favorite Track: Junkyard King

Rating: 6/10

Jan Amit "Hyms" (2015)

Inspired by "Flowertraces" and unimpressed with "Around And Above" I see Jan as an artist who's vision doesn't fall inline with the quirks of his unique identity that makes his music enjoyable for me. This short EP was a mixed bag of fruits not yielding into anything solid but showcasing a few ideas. The opener is a short atmospheric track of dark unsettling eeriness, a soundscape painting the aftermath of an oblivion event with electronic glitches devising the voices of alien insectoids. Its opening moments strangely reminiscent of Burzum's "Svarte Troner", a creepy dark ambient piece.

"Enter Faceless" follows and its an atypical track of Jan's style. Glitched out spacious beats hurtle over dark, illusive ambient noises that drift in and out of focus. It follows the darker theme and with a break for fresh air in the middle it drops back into itself for a second run that leads to no climatic or significant moment. The next track shakes up the formula with some strong House and Downtempo influences forging deep looping dance grooves and simplistic linear notation leads, droning over and over while featured artist Quork lists he hates through a morphed voice that gets buried into the groove on "Flaming Youth".

The records closer "Mass" tickles the ear drum with more alien sounds, wet slippery glitches slap and sway with a watery tone over a vanilla baseline before jumping into glitched out breaks over more void like ambient noises. Once again it feels like it doesn't amount to much, I'm left with what I expected, interest in the aesthetics, atmosphere and glitched approach in the rhythmic department but disappointed with the lack of progression or direction in the songs and their structures.

Rating: 4/10

IGORRR "Moisissure" (2008)

Continuing my backwards exploration of French multi-instrumentalist Igorrr's discography we come across the second full length, "Moisissure". This record was ultimately what I was expecting to find at some point, a reverse engineering of the unique chemistry that mezmorized on "Nostril" and "Hallelujah". Here the contrast is still rigid, and the experiment obvious, but their is clearly potential and of course we know it was fulfilled.

Thinking in reverse progression makes my opinion somewhat bias knowing the direction Igorrr would move in and its been hard to get away from pointing out where this record falls short of its predecessors. To merit its good points, it has atmosphere, a calmer vibe and great sample selection that allows one to indulge in the Baroque and Renaissance eccentric moments without being overheated by the hammering electronic glitching and break beats. And thats where the fun ends.

The moments where the frenetic glitch blasting and audio oddities come up against the sampling is where the rigidity of the experiment shows itself, the glitching often dispelling the atmosphere rather than creating it. The beats previously had the listener at their mercy, but on Moisissure they tend to rattle alongside without manipulating much of the songs flow. Its easy now to see where Igorrr was going, but at this point its yet to work and "Brutal Swing" would be the best example of this experimentation falling flat as ludicrous blasting goes up against chirpy pianos and swing vocals with no excitement born from their union. Worth the listen, but not something ill be returning too.

Favorite Songs: Putrefiunt, Huile Molle

Rating: 4/10

IGORRR "Nostril" (2010)

Igorrr scratched the itch I never knew I had, my recent discovery of "Hallelujah" leaving me with a desire for more, one which initially didn't quite work for me with this record. "Nostril" is a similar beast that reveals a lack of progression between the two records, with the sound and concept bearing similar traits and ideas in aesthetics, and execution. Initially I may have not been in the right mood, the pounding drums, fast chops and general noise fest proving a little nauseous when not in the zone for abrasive music. But alas Nostril grew on me, and would become my preferred record of the two.

As mentioned the two records sound cut from the same slate, as almost all ideas and execution heard on "Hallelujah" can be found here too, despite four years between them. It took me a while to understand this record, but Nostril has a richer variety and experimentation, both through the contrasting Baroque and Renascence era sampling and the noise base rhythm department with deeper dives into glitched out beats, odd timings, sample distortion and even the use of vinyl scratching and some strong break beat distinctions, the classic "Amen Loop" chopped to death on "Melting Nails". Vocally there is a larger pallet at work, most noticeably the last track "Moldy Eye" which features some dense, ear ripping guttural pig squeals.

Nostril feels familiar, but as the album kicks into gear it offers a greater variety and sampling range that even takes a grab at Jazz and Bluegrass. With more to offer from track to track its a much more enjoyable listen, most noticeably for its quieter moments as the dizzying glitch drums give much more leeway to the sampling taking the lead and letting atmospheres emerge from the odd chemistry. The Black Metal element is a little less prevalent too, overall just a stronger record.

Favorite Songs: Very Long Chicken, Melting Nails, Pavor Nocturnus, Dentist, Veins

Rating: 7/10

Jan Amit "Flowertraces" (2015)

Jan Amit is the name of this one man band musician from Moscow, Russia who composes dreamy, relaxing ethereal electronics with a contrasting rhythm department of layered, glitchy frenetic subtleties that decorate downtempo, slow beats with a rigidity, digital stiffness. In this contrast the magic is born, Jan's charm comes from magic these two distinctions have when working in unison. "Flowertraces" is the third of three records, the first of which i have been exposed to, and I'm certain ill be picking up the other two.

The power in the music comes from the ethereal strings, haunting pianos and moody compositions that build atmosphere with progression and gentle tunes that whisper in the wind as the songs drift by with grace. No punchy melodies or hooks are required, Jan steadily builds an atmosphere and sucks you into moments where he can deliver so much with a few notes on the piano above intensifying strings that emote directly. The big airy choirs and reverb soaking forging atmospheres big and grand, yet humbling with an eerie undercurrent amplified by haunting keys and bells that play like forgotten lullabies in the mist.

With all this gorgeous atmosphere their is an infusion of a different idea that works to give the music a unique feel, both in texture and emotion. The beats are slow kick clap grooves with a layering of quite noises that range from glitches to beeps and compression distortions that weave and flutter around around the beat, rattling and building into momentous moments of noise. The contrast gives me a distinct vibe, that of two eras colliding, the natural world intersected by malfunctioning time travel technology as we peak into an unknown age of wonders through this paradoxical hicup.

This particular chemistry was what jumped out at me most. On a couple of tracks the moods are more upbeat than introspective, and despite being well rounded tracks they didn't quite achieve the same impact as the ethereal tracks. Production wise its solid, well produced and balanced considering the cluttered nature of the beats in there climactic moments. At forty two minutes it often breezes by, a fantastic listen.

Favorite Songs: Ages, Grace, Heartfires, Ghostly Blossom

Rating: 5/10

IGORRR "Hallelujah" (2012)

Hallelujah! Every now and then a record passes you by that fills a void, scratches an itch, cures an ache and expands your musical senses. French musician Igorrr serves up a lavish helping of truly Internet era music where musical sounds spanning centuries of time and culture are stitched together in blasphemous perversion of maelstrom noise abuse. Its a blessing to the ears of one who wonders from the darkest hells of depravity to the uplifting, effervescent wonder of our longest surviving musical creations. To hear such bi polarizing expressions dance together is mesmerizing, and on Hallelujah we are blessed with the maturity and musical vision to unite and mold music that leaves no impression of an experiment. In an age where information is available at the touch of a button it is no surprise that such borders are broken down, as time or travel can not hold us back from exploring the music and culture of our world, present or past.

On this record Igorrr is essentially a break-beat musician working with sharp and dense loops that are cut and composed at breakneck speeds. Glitchy, intricate patterns dizzy away with memorizing levels of detail. Lots of strange, electronic noises jump in and out of the beats which chop themselves over and over until at times they sound like buzz waves. Its an impressive compositional assault which guides these songs through its contrasting sampling that ranges from the Classical / Baroque era, to Black and Extreme Metal. How it all works still feels mysterious, as the songs effortless move between graceful melodic string leads into punishing, evil blast beat frenzies as guitars and drums pound relentlessly. Its in the dizzying glitched out break-beats that Igorrr perverts the gracious and paves the way to darkness with increasing schizophrenic cuts that twist and move the musics tone with pitch shifts and rapid sampling that keeps the listener on their toes.

Despite a continual onslaught of heavy drums and sampling, the record sounds crisp and well rounded. Beyond its aesthetic the tracks excite with their constant shape shifting and on edge progression. The occasional screams and operatic leads fit in well but these songs feel like they unravel without a plan or design, something I feel is a strength, but may hold this talented musician back from achieving more with an already delightful new sound. The relentless nature of this record did have me questioning when I might tire of it, but so far its been a consistent pleasure, one I feel comes more from the contrasting sample choices, more so than the dark twisted core.

Favorite Tracks: Damaged Wig, Absolute Psalm, Corpus Tristis

Rating: 6/10