Artist: Jonas Reinhardt
Album: Powers of Audition
Label: Kranky
Rating: 4
It seems that the popularization of Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion in early 2009 convinced many experimental electronic artists that aimlessly noodling around with noises, sounds and excessive reverb was an acceptable thing to do. This is not the case for Jonas Reinhardt’s second Kranky release, Powers of Audition. The San Francisco-based quartet has a flair for integrating and accentuating hypnotic progressions and sinister overtones.
The nominal transitions between tracks are hardly noticeable, and the lush soundscapes are true embodiments of minimalist synth instrumentalism. Despite efforts to maintain emotional moderation, many tracks (most notably “Atomic Bomb Living” and “Near a Mirror Pit Viper”) evoke anxiety, absentmindedness and negligence. Powers of Audition is more of a mesmerizing instrumental synth composition than what is currently wafting about in the experimental electronic norm.
Give these tracks a listen: “Atomic Bomb Living”
For Fans Of: Vangelis
– Simone Wahng
