Recommended
Nocturne // Imago
Label: Trivmvirate
Format: 12” / Digital
Release Date: 26/05/2014
Established by Ed Friman and Reig, Rome based label Trivmvirate has space-travel on the agenda. Established in 2012, the label has played host to a range of darkly textured, brooding warehouse tracks. Their latest release comes from Imago, a recently founded project comprised of three producers, who for now remain annonymous.
In a sense the release is somewhat hard to place; on the one hand it has much in common with the high brow arts-techno of Stroboscopic Artefacts or Modal Analysis, yet on the other it also has much in common with the no-nonsense dancefloor offerings of Sleaze or Electric Deluxe. Take opening track ‘Downfall’; cloud-like atmospheres and scraping static introduce the track, yet are quickly forced into submission by the familiar march of 4/4 kick drums.
The smoke-laced ‘Monk’ is reminiscent of Raime or Samuel Kerridge with crawling, blackened drones and achingly slow tribal drums. Trembling arpeggios are introduced as the track slowly mutates; the introduction of a stuttered hi-hat loop dragging the track’s lumbering bass work forward. The track makes a good summation of what the EP does best in the way it plays with pace and intensity, breezing between fist pumping warehouse techno and thick, fog-like ambience with little space between for the listener to take stock.
Title track ‘Nocturne’ and follower, ‘Particle Of God’ combines several different approaches, creating two sonic-trips easy to become entranced by. Hissing pulses of white-noise and sombre melodies dance between one another, Imago’s lack of a steady snare rhythm letting the track glide, like a manta ray skimming the ocean floor.
Closing track ‘Return’ feels similarly well suited to early-hour sets. An acid synth-riff gurgles beneath Imago’s cloying atmospheres and thudding drums, occasionally bursting through the mix in vicious contortions.
- Published
- May 29, 2014
- Credits
- Words by Theo Darton-Moore