Variance Volume 1 & 2 is Dylan Nathan’s long awaited third album, after a leaked, unfinished album prompted a rewrite that took six years (you can even tell by the early catalogue number still intact!). A double album split in intensity and focus, the first volume offers a more melodic laid back affair and the second volume darker with a more intense beat driven futurism.
‘Soulflute’ opens the first volume with rolling slow drum patterns, melodic colouring, cut up garage style vocals and combinations of intricacies in beat programming. The detail on this volume alone is dense, weaving ambient jungle forms with a lush psychedelic mood, intense melodic brightness and understated form advances. In some ways it is just too full and almost indulgent in that it wavers towards sweet forms that just hold back from playing you into a cushioned prison. ‘Dreams’ is a beatwise inclusion on this volume that holds back on the full spectrum assault, and concentrates on its beat focus. ‘Aquaminie’ drops into warped out beat weirdness and bright tone wonder. The volume reads as a whole as a psychedelic ambient jungle b-boy’s sonic dream.
Volume two introduces the shift immediately. ‘Tensor’ opens long, dark and stretched waveforms, smashed beats, wavering melody lines and a hint of sinister that is to come. But that is the perceived tone: the focus is on advanced technique, a hard, danceable form with an unwavering commitment to advancement. ‘Chromadynamic’, packs all the punch from a hyper-game soundtrack, an intense layered beat style with semi-hidden classic hip hop samples. ‘Aerodynamic’ moves to more intense forms of jungle, all sharp wavering metallic forms laying out the development of Nathan’s programming.
Then it all becomes densely packed, a breakcore-inspired, wired out beat madness. It suits the Planet Mu imprint: a more Gameboy hip-hop style than stablemate Venetian Snares. Also in comparison the sculptural form of sound is more distinct and masterful than Aron Funks’ snarling apocalypse. If anything it is the sort of optimism, engagement with advanced technology and attention to detail expounded in a positive manner that makes this volume such a rewarding listening experience.
Innerversitysound
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