Gritty, urban, dreamy. All you could want from an electro record.
I love meeting new cyborgs, especially if they hail from the Balkan region of Old Earth. I met Nulla and dvidevat at a festival simulation on the NC-R5 Matrioshka Brain. They were responsible for frequency modulation at one of the stages, which left me thoroughly impressed. Not nearly as much as what I am about to show you.
Compiling sounds of their own creation into an EP, the girls describe themselves as one of the youngest producers from Ljubljana’s emerging electro scene. Let’s start off with Nulla. She is a network engineer specializing in espionage and recruitment of promising recruits into her hidden network. Very versatile and adaptive, her soundscape mimics her talents and showcases a broad range of frequencies she feels comfortable with.
Laszlo is a codename for a secret weapon using frequencies made to disassemble the opponents and weaken their footing. After a heavy barrage, it leaves the battlefield empty with diminishing laser sounds as its only trace of existence. Definitive contender for an opener in a dark and heavy set.
Modem is Nulla’s engineering skills at work. Everyone knows information is transmitted through infinitely small robots traveling at the speed of light. Nulla managed to track them down and is now fighting to gain control of them, as she needs to infiltrate a hidden government communication channel. The synths represent these robots fighting back against Nulla’s assault. Alas, the last bit of the track offers an undeniable truth: Nulla prevailed.
S.L.C. is my Nulla’s favourite track on this EP. It is an homage to the Matrix, times where a dystopian world was only called “science fiction”. I felt as if I am put in Neo’s shoes and have to make the decision to rebel. Do not hesitate when offered a hand to follow by the White Rabbit, the hole is much deeper than anyone ever conceived. Just so you know, nobody came back into the uninitiated world after taking the red pill.
Ambinet’s appropriate name combines ambient motives with sounds of the net. Nulla must have brought this one from the depths of her memory. To be precise, this track represents the exact moment she discovered the vastness and depth of the Internet. I envision her looking at transistors exchanging currents in one magical dance enveloping the whole Universe.
Finally, Lenticular is an anthem of all those who spend their nights looking at the starry night, far away from light pollution. It is tempting to fly away in a magical ship of consciousness in search of a better world, but it is easy to forget a simple truth. The beauty of the Tesseract is located everywhere, and it is required to lower our gaze and see Life in the eyes of our beloved.
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Her musical partner, dvidevat is the Emperor’s cook, her ability to spice her tracks giving away her trade. While Nulla is focused on electronics, dvidevat is focused on painting scenes from the rough world she inhabits. Revenge, prison, feeling of nostalgia for a lost youth are all part of her portfolio. She brings a more compact and recognizable sound, sticking to what she knows, but doing that at a very high level.
Dvidevat’s soundscape starts with Mistif, a peculiar anthem of those murky mornings after a club evening. Leaving behind a night of blurry memories, the day is young enough to give a blue tint to a sleeping city. Cold breaths are lost within the mist which announces the first Sun rays of the day and soothes the soul. However, there is an edginess to this track, probably remains of whatever we took during the night fighting for the last bit of stimulation.
Following the ambient goodness, PSH is dvidevat’s portrayal of a power struggle within the galaxy’s most notorious prison. Opponents have been eying each other for the past few weeks on who will control the kitchen. Tensions are at an all-time high, and the track pushes us into the conflict’s overture. The battle ensues whilst the warden is watching. He doesn’t care, the more victims, the less scum to control.
Next up is Kampak, my favourite track from the whole EP. I just can’t help but imagine myself as a veteran fighter pilot going through an abandoned city in search of a challenge. Arriving in the city, I start to race against myself through the skyscraper landscape. Sound-wise, it is a mix of old buildings vibrating to the sound of my jet engines coupled with an intimate conversation with my ship’s A.I. It is imploring me not to be so reckless. However, the adrenaline rush is a bit too hard to resist.
Last, but not least is Apropos, a search for blood. Our protagonist got his memory chip hacked, meaning that someone stole his memories. His quest leads to the lord of the acid underground, whose sole hobby is collecting memories in jars as trophies. The track is a verbal standoff between the two, a who-draws-first-wins situation. Intense stuff!
The girls did a fantastic job at moving my limbs into a frenzied state. I will be looking forward to exploring their future projects. Remember, fellow readers, case and point that it is never too early/young to be amazing. 0ver and 0ut.
Transmitted by Last Ronin, the monster crawling in the underground refuge.
Electronic Tesseract 