Review Summary: Urban decay in musical form
I've been searching for a way to effectively describe the cold, forlorn, yet unmistakably beautiful atmosphere Stott's music has managed to convey since his 2011 works Passed By Me / We Stay Together revolutionized the Dub Techno landscape, and I think this is the closest I've come.
One of the hallmarks of urban decay is it's divisive nature; many can't appreciate it's quaint appeal, in fact many are left unsettled, and you certainly couldn't fault them for it. There's no intention to allure or appeal toward anybody...that's seems more of a mere byproduct, and such a quality may not reveal itself for some time, if it ever does. Stott is somehow able to inflect his sound waves with the very same shrouded organic beauty via intense vocal sampling, ethereal yet haunted synths, and semi lo-fidelity percussion...to forge one of the most unique signatures in the history of electronic music, as far as I'm concerned.
His album art deftly mirrors the music; captivating in the strangest of ways. Why the tribal statue set within a 40's downtown apartment? why a ballerina routine? why two zebras (or one 8 legged mutant zebra) plodding through a snowy field? Why the distinct absence of color? Chances are if you're not on board with the peculiar artwork, you'll be left scratching your head with (most) the music. Though as musical accompaniments, they do exactly as they're supposed to, and always set the tone incredibly well. The mystery, the uncanny, the unconventional aesthetic, it's all there.
However, uniqueness alone isn't always enough, and I can't say I have the same level of endearment toward all of his pieces; some just seem to meander on in a somewhat directionless, unmemorable manner, and function as little more than ambient background music. Whether or not that's his aim, I couldn't even care, as roughly half of this release (as per most past releases) feels noticeably uninspired in comparison to it's better half.
To recall the urban decay analogy, the more inspired cuts (It should be us, Take, Versi) are comparable to venturing into an abandoned amusement park, theater, mental asylum...something with an almost palpable character - and being overwhelmed with an ineffable sense of disquiet and serenity - which would ordinarily contradict one another, yet seem to compliment one another in this unique setting.
Au contraire, the more lackluster work would be akin to realizing that what you're looking at is just a straight up crack den, or a particularly grimy, dilapidated restaurant that's somehow still open for business...admittedly, there's still something oddly intriguing to them. You can't seem to look away. You find yourself pondering their backstory; how they and their occupants fell into that state of disrepair, and they have an identity that the surrounding pristine structures all seem to lack... even if you don't want to step within 50 feet of the former, or get salmonella poisoning from the latter.
I'll wrap this up before I venture too far up my own ass, but simply put; I'll keep buying for as long as Stott is selling, because I'm confident that even if it's not exactly what I ask for - as was the case with this release - I'll be at the very least fascinated by what I get.
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Note: To clarify, I'm referring to the decay of abandoned urban environments, not the makeup brand.
Also Note: I know nothing about urban decay as a form of photography, so I'm just making assumptions, but neither do you so it's ok.
