Review Summary: Come on in, the water's lovely
When one dives into the murky bass filled bottomless pool of minimal techno, it’s hard to see past the big fish like Trentemoller or Villalobos. By far the easiest to grasp, their sonorous flesh is indisputably a luscious feast for the ears.
But returning to the surface right now would be a terrible mistake; the indistinct dark shapes that float murkily just beyond are even more beguilingly mysterious and just as satisfying. Arandel is one such mythical creature, one that so far has avoided contact with humans, choosing to remain hidden deep in the shadowy oceanic abyss. It’s only recently that he was pulled wriggling from the lost shipwrecks of sound by Infine, tentacles gleaming in the sunlight like burnished gold, clutching the enigmatic treasure chest that is
In D.
Whereas
The Last Resort was a heart wrenchingly beautiful oasis and
Alcachofa pure fun distilled into an intoxicating potion,
In D is a dark and brooding affair; melancholy, ominous and for the most part absolutely mesmerizing. A plethora of instruments partake in the festivities; the usual smorgasbord of synths is complemented beautifully by soaring strings, quietly insistent horns and, every now and again, ambient soundscapes that creep softly like ivy across the resonant aural canvas. Indispensible in bringing the music to life are the soft voices that flit across the surface of the music, subtly yet irresistibly endowing it with an apprehensive and tremulous air that softens the sharp contours of sound, turning the throbbing kick drum into a pulsating human heartbeat.
It comes as no surprise that Arandel has some training in musical theory; his arrangements stand superior to most and his sense of rhythm and harmony are second to none.
In D benefits from his consummate skill immensely; the sinuous strings of sound that tie this gift together would quite simply come undone in the hands of a lesser composer. Because he succeeds effortlessly, one cannot dismiss this as just another slab of monotonous minimal electronic music; Arandel far exceeds the scanty scope of the genre, resoundingly succeeding in introducing fresh and vibrant elements that makes
In D a crucial listen even outside Tresor or Ostgut circles. The fact that this album features no MIDI programming whatsoever only imbues it with more life; Track
#6 could be a 21st century requiem to Stockhausen, whilst
#9 features the kind of pounding drums and burnished synths that one would expect from Amon Tobin, not some mysterious European conjurer lurking in the shadowy alleys of the concrete jungle.
So who the *** is he?
Unfortunately there’s no easy answer to that question. All one can say is this; regardless of his identity, Arandel is an extraordinary artist, and
In D a stunning piece of leftfield music. Furthermore and fortunately, the former can only get better, whilst the latter, despite only being his debut, is perhaps
the hidden electronic gem of the year.
