Aisha Devi “DNA Feelings” Allison’s Gate “Waves/ Bona Fide” Surgeon “Luminosity Device” Wooden Shjips “V”
This review column for Product One is called “Pathways To Bliss”.
Aisha Devi begins the journey to bliss with a fusion lp of ethereal electronic passages, vast rhythmic spaces and dense multi layered vocal manipulation. The Swiss/ Nepalese producer sounds at times like a meditative Fatima Al Quadari but really that’s really only a vague indicator as Aisha Devi creates something truly unique on this beguiling LP for Houndstooth.
Allison’s Gate’s new album for Memorials Of Distinction presses all the right buttons as her soulful yearning vocals are buried under a warm fuzz of echoed and reverb. Lyrics circle in and out of view in the half light. Her technique is stripped back and bare however the layers of melody and fuzzy gloop that encase her wonderful songs leave her songs open to interpretation. Blissful and deep. The songs almost at times feel like they’re going to break apart but then another swell of emotion carries the tide…as far as pathways to bliss goes..this is a one way highway…
Surgeon comes up with a techno rethink on bruising yet strangely mesmerising new techno opus “Luminosity Device”.. it’s almost anti-IDM as with most industrial sounding midlands electronic music. Loops are deceptively simple and build to a convincing and emotional tug as rhythm relentlessly moves forward. Sweet, arcane and hypnotic synths swirl around immaculately stark precision beats in a condensed forward motion. Surgeon’s unique tooling of kick drums and percussion give it his signature sound. It feels like a new language for him operating at a midpoint between “Breaking The Frames” experimental surge and the restless pace of “Basic Tonal Vocabulary”…in my humble opinion this is his most fully realised and best record…no mean feat for a 9nth LP.
Wooden Shjips laid back and breezy new lp “V” is a great summer soundtrack record full of motorik groves and spiralling guitar lines not too psychedelic..no too heavy..just right. The final track “Ride On” could become a bit of a Wooden ships anthem. However breezy and fun this album feels..it all feels a bit safe. I would like them to push the envelope a bit more. It’s a lovely listen, and moving too..but it really doesn’t feel more than that..but then does it need when the vibe is this cool?
