Review Summary: Cabin fever
Vladislav Delay is a wanderer. Combing through his catalogue, I couldn’t pinpoint
when he found himself in the first place, assuming he ever did. Traces of humanity exist even in his coldest works, but his persona gets increasingly shrouded when examined collectively - it’s maddening, really. Just as one album hits me, creating a rapport, it becomes questionable with each following release. Put simply, I still have no clue who Sasu Ripatti really is, barring the multiple other pseudonyms he uses. With
Visa, the minimal techno luminary seems unsettled, as the tone is highly agitated and lacks fluidity. It’s as though Vlad is tightening your strings, easing the tuning peg bit by bit despite the ominous creaks, or that crocodile toy that bites down when you ‘remove’ the wrong tooth. The tension is palpable, and
Visa could prove to be the most divisive release under the Vladislav Delay moniker thus far.
Opener “Visaton” doesn’t help matters much. The track is sporadic, while still relying on overarching drones and distractingly repetitive beats. Beneath these pestering overseers are diligent subordinates, struggling to correct the system. The tone shifts multiple times, looking for loopholes, poking and prodding. It’s the most punishing beginning to a Vlad Delay album yet, and will see many listeners throw in the towel, though persistence pays off; of course, this is comparable to many sparse ambient pieces. While it might seem silly to focus on the opening track so intently, it’s a determining factor for
Visa. Think of it like the arduous climb before a stunning panorama. I could compare this to my limited running experience: once you conquer that first marathon (42km), it’s surprisingly easy to build upon it. I couldn’t bother with the remaining tracks until I had listened to “Visaton” several times, but the payoff was huge. “Viaton” and “Viisari” followed effortlessly, focusing less on the onerous top layers, revelling in the smooth, throbbing textures beneath. It’s cheesy, but the best part of trail running is feeling the pebbles and textural changes. Yeah, the sun is still beating down, and your legs are still sore, but it makes the little things that much better. I always feel dumb trying to explain why I like trail running, and
Visa will prove similar. For new listeners, you will either abandon it after a few minutes, or press on to reap its rewards.
These rewards aren’t obvious, really, and that’s always been Vlad’s modus operandi. Gratification relies on perceptive correlation, matching
Visa’s unpredictable happenings with stark visuals. “Viisari” resembles watching an accelerated nature video, as the beats are rapid and ever-adapting, but the progression is still observable in a reasonable timeframe. Despite the various elements - underlying thuds, rattles, swirls, and synths - it feels unified, like constructing a building. The contrast is bizarre, as though the beginning and end of
Visa were crafted by two separate thought patterns. “Vihollinen” sees tension lifted, settling into meditative pulses interrupted by spontaneous noises. The final seconds of “Vihollinen” resonate, as a sharp note dunks you underwater after a lucid dream. Moments like these make Vladislav Delay’s latest effort endearing, albeit inconsistent. All in all,
Visa is the most challenging VD album to date, and further cements his niche status in treacherous soundscapes. Saddle up.
