seven

I heard proem for the first time on toytronic compilation, later on I got my hands on “burn plate no. 1.” this band, which name sounds weird to any russian ear, has been always dear to me for their crunchy heavy percussion, that always stood out. broken abrasive patterns were always a favorite of mine, and that was the main theme on “burn plate no. 1.” this time around, the band switches labels, releasing “negativ” on merck (home of lackluster, russian ambidextrous, eu, novel23, fizzarum, as well as few others).

the style has changed as well. instead of precise and almost minimal percussion patterns proem goes for more “advanced” and layered sound with more instruments, melodies and textures. it is not as instantly likeable as “burn plate…”, possessing a different kind of more subtle appeal. more ambient textures are floating around that are more tightly integrated with crunchy stuttering percussion.

it is hard to come up with all-encompassing summary for this album. at times it seems overly complicated with layers and layers of percussion and melodies, at times it is almost minimal, barely supporting ambient strings with sparse beats. all I can say, that it definitely is a more “mature” and complex effort, that takes a while to understand and get into. it combines both traditional melodic idm appeal with elements of ambient and experimental electronica. some of the tracks are an instant hit, sounding almost perfect, and some appear to be a half-completed experimentation.