Megatrend – Let The Trend Be Your Friend (Downstream Records / Cargo)

Despite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to dredge up any real info on the person(s) behind enigmatic UK-based IDM act Megatrend, whoever he, she or they are obviously going to great pains to keep their identity secret. It’s a bit of a pity in some respects, as it’s a strategy that unfortunately works with the impeccably-programmed yet inescapably derivative musical contents of this debut album to render the whole thing a somewhat anonymous and indistinct listening experience. While tracks such as intricate industrial breakbeat-laced offering “Gitard Servale’ showcase Megatrend’s no-doubt bulging selection of plug-ins, much of this album comes across a transparent facsimile of Autechre and AFX’ more hard-edged moments. When the references are so close to the bone, pseudo-“Confield’-era titles such as “Liscargo Foreleam’ also don’ exactly disguise the looming Ae influence upon much of this album. Despite these criticisms however, some of the most evocative atmospheres on this album occur when Megatrend isn’t going overboard with the complex effects, as on the hypnotic “Selfega Arialis’, which places slow Porter Ricks-esque bass heartbeats beneath skittering snares and swirling ambient pads to somewhat swooning effect.