In case there was any doubt that Russian Dasha Rush’s latest Sleepstep was an introspective and fragile record, it has the subtitle Sonar Poems for My Sleepless Friends – but even that only hints at at the startling intimacy present throughout the release, her first for German label Raster-Noton. The record gets under your skin and enters your consciousness slowly – indeed, Dasha sounds like she exists in her own world with her own vision, with Sleepstep full of nocturnal ambient techno that is bent on carving out an inspiring and calming space for one’s self.
‘Time Whispers and Albert’, with its flickering beat and haunted ambiance is an early highlight, reminding of early Pantha du Prince, or even Porter Ricks. With raw-sounding squeaks and squawks coming towards the end, it’s one example of many on this album of Dasha patiently evolving her tracks and never staying still for too long.
Elsewhere, a two note bass synth line begins ‘Scratching Your Surface (Revisited)’ before evolving into a slow groovy dirge complete with haunting vocals and a squelchy, scratchy percussive backing. ‘Abandoned Beauties and Beasts’ contains cascading percussive beats with eerie high-pitched synth notes over a stunning eight minutes. ‘Lumiere Avant Midi’, which follows this, is anchored with a beautiful three-note synth melody, with static echoes and crystalline flourishes all drenched in reverb. Along with ‘Sleep Ballade’, it is one of the most pretty and uncomplicated moments on the album.
The hilariously titled ‘Lucy in the Sky, Lost Diamonds’ sounds like it was recorded in a sewer, full of awesome bum notes, and distorted spoken words; ‘Fog, Dogma and Bread’ combine with this for a tense and disorienting effect, finishing with a stunning resolve.
The cinematic ‘A Minute After The War’ sounds positively joyous in the context of the album and is a welcome reprieve with its post-classical ambience. The penultimate ‘Micro Universe’, with its mesmerising delayed vocals from Dasha, has an electronic chorus backing that swirls around the gorgeous main synth melody that occasionally modulates.
With a very deliberate, thoughtful track listing, Sleepstep is a subtle, feminine and stunningly warm record. Possessing a dream-like nature, it’s a beautiful, substantial release that begs to be immersed in, perfect for the upcoming winter months for us below the equator.
Wyatt Lawton-Masi
