seven

this ep on suction records is a lot closer to the sound of the label than simultaneously released ep on ersatz audio. of course, a careful listener will notice the traces of more upbeat electro-minimalism throughout this album, definitely an underlying motif in recent work by lowfish.

as if proving the title of the album, each track balances on tight percussion pulses and a stylish analog retro minimalism that can only bring a smile to your face and make your heart swell with the purity of emotions. it is not as lush as its labelmate solvent - the atmosphere is a bit more somber, but every once in a while sweet soaring synthlines break through (theme to parked cars, closing cadmium red), and with the addition of the elegantly primitive vocoder effects (the superuser) the music becomes irresistible.

I am still trying to figure out the nature of my fascination with the style - partially it comes as yet another twist in the spiral of music appreciation that would not be possible without years and years of exposure to other genres; perhaps partially it comes from the geeky fascination with retro analog devices and low-fi sound of the past, transformed and augmented with modern styles. I wonder if it is possible to fully enjoy this genre without similar (and probably excessive) music luggage - it is inherently subject to cross-referencing, since it is reviving something that has started a while ago, only taking it to the next level of the evolution spiral. in any case, just like with any suction records material, this is defnitely a release not to miss.