| Underrated electronic genius Daedelus returns to bless us with another wonderfully confounding album of organic IDM grooves. On this one, he takes a far more energetic, almost danceable approach, twisting his complex sounds into music meant as much for head/body moving as for beard-stroking. I don’t know whether it’s a cause or an effect, but a recent fascination with the music of Brazil plays a large role here. The skittery drums, snaky synth lines, and breezy string loops (I swear, dude has a patch on a keyboard called “Dreamy Easy-listening Strings,” such is the depth of his collection) are still very much in effect, but they’re accompanied by samba basslines on “Noveau Nova” and shuffly drum loops on the dense “Patent Pending.” He works other Brazilian elements in subtly elsewhere in the album before letting loose with the appropriately-titled “Bahia.” A straight brazilian shuffle, complete with cuica, plays host to bossa nova-esque guitar, a stompin’ four-the-the-floor beat, and an awesome, chopped-up bassoon bassline. It’s almost live enough to sneak into a DJ set by broken beat luminaries Bugz in the Attic. As always, D provides some contemplative moments like “Sundown” and the folky “Viva Vida,” both of which feature effected vocals from Daedelus himself. I also like the deceptively chilled “Sunrise,” which sneaks frenetic drum chaos in under layers of indie rock synth melodies and airy string samples. Other highlights include the unpredictable “Lights Out,” where Daedelus artfully cuts the “Funky Drummer” break into a study in lounge jazz mechanics complete with large vibraphone and string bits, and “Our Last Stand,” which brings massive analog synth drums, James Bond-esque horn hits, and delicate synth leads together for a visceral techno deconstruction. Overall, DDD is another brilliant slice of musical imagination. For those who don’t know the steez, cross the whimsical, none-too-serious demeanor of Luke Vibert with the fearless, genre-destroying exploits of Aphex Twin and you have a hint of what’s going here. For those who do, you should already own this because it’s that good. - Ground Lift |
2XLP/Out Of Print