Built around degraded tape static, distortion peddles, analogue gear and phantom sounds, Alek's debut EP on Natural Sciences is a kaleidoscopic journey through electronic music, touching base at deep, throbbing late-night house cuts like "Ulterior Motive" into tripped out techno excursions ("Hemel") and warbled spectral movements on the B-side. There's a very cutting edge aesthetic going on throughout the EP and this guy should definitely be one to watch for anyone with a penchant for the futuristic and out-there. At some points recalling a distant Chain Reaction with their powerful, hypnotic dub-techno "04RW" launches from a gritty, saturated tape and struggles in parts not to shatter into a million fragments as its streamtrain drums clatter on. "Multitudes" leaves us gasping for more as an ethereal, glistening loop reflects through a broken glass for infinite; its distant, murmured speech and angelic yet melancholic loops recalling the beautifully serene work of Newworldaquarium. Exceptional stuff - highly recommended.
- A1 Ulterior Motive
- A2 Hemel
- B1 04rw
- B2 Multitudes