SubtractiveLAD – Suture (n5MD)
Vancouver-based producer Stephen Hummel’s debut album as SubtractiveLAD ‘Giving Up The Ghost’ attracted significant acclaim amongst ambient / IDM circles upon its release last year, and this speedy follow-up shows Hummel picking up the same musical threads, albeit with a somewhat more menacing edge than its predecessor. Occupying similar territory to Chris Clark, Arovane and AFX, ‘Suture’ shows Hummel crafting a deeply emotive and frequently cinematic blend of unpredictable electronics that beautifully contrasts sharp, jagged rhythmic elements with lush and wistful melodic landscapes.
While the production approach throughout is more or less impeccable and there’s no avoiding the degree of emotional gravitas generated by Hummel’s compositions, a sense of déjà vu frequently creeps in at points and you’re left spotting the reference points and influences, rather than truly appreciating the tracks themselves. In fact, much of ‘Suture’ comes across as so typical of the genre that it’s the sort of album that’d be perfect to play to a friend who wanted to know just what this ‘IDM’ thing was. While it frequently comes across as derivative, ‘Suture’ is still an excellent album that contains many inspired moments, regardless of its glaring musical influences.
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