{"id":9669,"date":"2017-04-05T10:50:05","date_gmt":"2017-04-05T09:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.cronicaelectronica.org\/?p=9669"},"modified":"2017-04-04T09:50:17","modified_gmt":"2017-04-04T08:50:17","slug":"digital-junkies-in-strange-times-reviewed-by-chain-dlk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.cronicaelectronica.org\/?p=9669","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Digital Junkies in Strange Times\u00e2\u20ac\u009d reviewed by Chain DLK"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nDelving deep into the laptop, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Digital Junkies In Strange Times\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is a genre-ignoring collection of electronic ambiences that draws ethereal samples shamelessly from any source that appeals. Most prominently this is R&B acapellas (some re-recorded presumably for legal reasons), processed to drift in out of our consciousness like a distant radio broadcast, but other found sounds are thrown in too. Under this, the core of this album is a gentle electronic soundscape which is soft yet glitchy.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Turbulent Sphere\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, at 13 minutes, is a relatively steady piece with a digital heartbeat. Processed bell sounds and warm chords ebb above. The beginning and end of the piece are weirder than the middle; twisted attempts at key changes towards the end sound playful or positively tongue-in-cheek at parts.<\/p>\n

At only a minute and a half long, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Acousmatis\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is a wonky processed acoustic guitar loop that seems to be present for two reasons, firstly because it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a little silly, secondly to increase the track count. The other short track \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Teen Haze\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is more worthwhile, an almost radio-edit-y bit of anti-pop instrumental with deep flangey bass notes and a lightweight, crisp laptop-hip-hop beat, degenerating into metallic creaks as it develops.<\/p>\n

The main meal of the release is the 41-minute \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Moonlight Compilations\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, which walks a fine line between being a single electronic work and a mix album. There are some steady tempos and recurring elements throughout. Sometimes there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s several layers in play, sometimes there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a pure single element standing alone. At points it drops to nothing more than distant birdsong, reminiscent of The KLF\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chill Out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, with which it shares a sense of live, improvised fader-riding. At other points, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a heavier electronic throb, with a womb-like ambience, sometimes pale hisses and windy tones. The on-and-off languid female vocals are a little Leftfield-y. It evolves slowly and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s generally melancholic, but the electronic pulses are prominent enough that you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re rarely allowed to proper relax in listening to it. Though it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s never out-and-out silly, things do get more wig-out at the end with the brass sounds of some bizarre Latin-sounding TV theme and some random plucked harpsichord notes.<\/p>\n

Arguably \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Moonlight Compilations\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is a little self-indulgent and is a little longer than is warranted, but as an improvised bit of electronic soundscape, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a lush, rich feel to most of it that makes it an enjoyable listen. Stuart Bruce<\/em><\/p>\n

via Chain DLK<\/a><\/p>\n