An intricate slice of forward-thinking electronica from French artist Alex Augier, in support of his recent LP, The Lyrical Age. This song runs the gamut. The first and second movements are all interlaced polyrhythms underpinning a digest of sound design that speaks to the breadth of what ‘electro’ has meant for the past 35-odd years; represented is everything from the submerged blippiness of the aquatic drexiyan universe of the 90s, the grit and stagger of the genre’s reinvention by Augier’s countrymen in the early 2000s, and the icy clarity of today’s takes on the genre. I’m careful to use that genre name only when actually called for, but there are also cases like this where a song references ‘electro’ so closely without ever submitting to its core motifs, ultimately producing something that isn’t actual ‘electro’ at all. Grab The Lyrical Age on bandcamp (including in a spectacularly beautiful vinyl package), or find it for streaming all over.
Alex Augier – “Lives In Resonance” (bc)
Second up is another submission from France; this one from Parisian artist laum, who’s mining the possibly infinite source of inspiration that is a breakup. Breakup songs are usually a product of youth, but it’s hard to deny the how fucking easy it remains to connect to the melodrama–the feeling sandwich that is yearning for someone and also being furious with them has just got to be among the most universal experiences. laum delivers all that in a tight 2:42: sharp re-sequenced military breakbeats, a waxing and waning reese-type bass, stutter triplet plucks, and a delicately melancholy vocal. Works a charm. No bandcamp for this, I’m afraid, but it’s out for streaming and laum was generous in letting me share with you all the mp3 here.
laum – “Without U” (mp3)
Last but not least is a sweetly stirring tune from Australian Timothy and the Apocalypse (real name Timothy Poulton). Apparently written while Poulton was off-grid alone in the NSW hinterland, the song does seem to express both an awe of the natural world, and a counterbalance of the sort of bittersweet loneliness that kind of isolation can rouse. No bandcamp for this either, but Poulton was kind enough to let me upload the mp3 for you here (in case anyone wants to listen to this off-the-grid, for full effect); it’s also available for streaming all over.
Timothy and the Apocalypse – “Just For A Moment” (mp3)