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APHORISM: Surge CD Review [Tympanik Audio] |
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Contributed by Tony Young
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Friday, 29 May 2009 |
 ‘Surge’ is a peculiar beast; bizarrely reminding me of many factors in electronic circles and yet it isn’t nailing one particular field down at any one time; take for instance the opening track ‘Ulkine’ with its racing crunchy rhythms and bass lines that occasionally have a flow of synth that can’t help but drive home the impression that this is the way VAC would have folded it together. It doesn’t sound like Velvet Acid Christ at all but the way it’s constructed is extremely familiar in its approach to layering and timing.
There is a supreme urgency to this album that cannot be denied, it is fundamentally beat driven with the ambience left in the background as the glue that cements it together; with off kilter patterns and ever so off minor chords that mould Aphorism into a somewhat darker creature than I first imagined looking at the beautiful artwork supplied by Stefan Alt depicting waves of the ocean and thus I suppose being somewhat fitting being that the sea is a mysterious creature.
Complex and stuttering, ‘Surge’ is a technical beast for much of its journey flittering with IDM and almost on the edge of Industrial leanings that have that tag dragged away from them as soon as they head in that direction, almost as if this album wants to evolve into something else but never gets the chance as soon as the opportunity arises.
The highlight of this debut is the rather fantastic ‘Chrysanthemums For Carrion’ that drifts between Flamenco and wonderfully folded pads; the most experimental number on this album which drifts into trip-hop isms and subtle dub like bass with an evident psychosis that is tethered amongst the fray and is above all genuinely captivating as an entire number. Remixes are the order of the day towards the end of this album, all are decent and bring something to the table but the most remarkable being that from label mate “Tapage’ ending this debut in fine form with more energy than his usual relaxed and gentle, yet imposing confusing approach. Sheer class.
All in all ‘Surge’ is not a pick up and play album at all; indeed I wasn’t immediately taken from the off, but sitting down and giving my undivided attention this album left me impressed and wanting more.
9/10 Tony Young
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