Review Summary: The soundtrack to a late-night drive.
IDM died a long time ago. It bled out artists in the early 00's as they went on to newer pastures. This isn't surprising when you put it under inspection: IDM was so embedded in finding new and inventive ways to produce audio experiences that all there was to do within the genre
was done within 5 years of it being established. It's only more recently that a new generation of IDM artists has emerged: these people take the core style of IDM and splice it with more contemporary influences. In essence, they bring IDM into the 21st century.
edIT's roots lie in indie hip-hop, which he produced and collaborated on for many years before deciding to create an album of his own. As a result of this, his debut LP
Crying Over Pros For No Reason drips with the relaxed, hip-hop atmosphere that fans of producers such as DJ Shadow will be very familiar with: it's laid back, but with a very subtle hint of melancholy.
A cursory listen will show this hip-hop influence to be heavily dominated by the glitch-IDM style. The fast paced, dynamic drum beats take the lead, while the mix of synths and bass flicker around it. As if often the case with IDM, however, the percussion begins to lose it's prominence to the listener's consciousness after a while, fading into the background to leave the melodies and textures up for a closer look. What becomes apparent as a result of this is that, as an album,
Crying Over Pros For No Reason is incredibly soulful. Although there might not be a specific story or theme to the LP, what we get is emotional: from the brief outbursts of vocals on
Dex to the blues guitar sounds overlaying
Mop Head.
But
edIT isn't one to get carried away, this blues mood is only apparent in the late-stages of your time with the LP. The relaxed atmosphere is always at the forefront, even to the point of casual conversation being sampled in
Ants. Far from detracting from the experience this works to break down any predispositions you may have while getting you into the perfect mood for the rest of the LP.
Ultimately,
Crying Over Pros For No Reason may not be completely redefining genres, but this very smooth blend of hip-hop and glitch is produced with enough intelligence and style to add depth to an already interesting mix.
