Multi-disciplined artist Ikosaeder is next up to deliver the goods on Solar Phenomena. Having been a regular on the quickly rising spclnch label, Ikosaeder now presents long player ‘It’s All Mammals Part 1’. Combining a range of styles, moods and emotions as well as top line production.
Leading out our review is ‘Ursus’ and from the off the brushed drum strokes help to soften out the edges of this rather smooth floaty banger. Lighter than air pads underpin the entire track helping the flow to never wander too far from the listeners focus. The shuffling percussion compliments the meandering soundscapes perfectly as the ‘Ursus’ ebbs closer to its final resting place.
Elsewhere on the release track 1 ‘Cervus’ opens the long player nicely with a more driving direction. Still staying within the atmospheric realms but with a much subtler musicality and beat driven approach. Retaining the dub techno style but edging in a more upbeat fluted synth motif track 3 ‘Scirius’ offers a bit of a right hand turn on the album. If track 3 was a right turn, track 4 ‘Cetacea’ is a further handbrake turn. Delicate synths twinkle across the riddim heavy almost dub step floater.
Sitting at the halfway mark of the release is ‘Saguinus’ and there is further stunning music by way of a skippy fluted arrangement. ‘Orcinus Orca’ follows with a much more upfront brooding notion, less is most definitely more here as the beats do much of the talking while a singing almost Eastern synth line undulates just below the surface. ‘Lynx’ continue this in a similar fashion with delicate synth lines accompanied by tightly wound drum programming.
Heading towards the business end of the release now with one of the most upfront tracks on the release – ‘Gorilla’. As the name suggest the beats are robust and basslines are rowdy. Breakbeats are the order of the day here and the massive bass tones more than tip the hat to the track title. ‘Cantis’ explores Ikosaeder’s other roots with another dub step leaning weapon. Flourishing drums bloom into life and fire off snares in a multitude of different directions. Completing the release is a more deep house affair ‘Panthera’, maintaining the ethereal elements from previous tracks the subtlety is a refreshing lesson in patience as each track is programmed in such a way that all elements are given their chance to shine.
SOLARD32 will be available from the Solar Phenomena Bandcamp shortly.
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