Various Artists – The Condition of Muzak 2 (Expanding Records)

Expanding Records – London’ purveyors of spectral, minimalist electronica – have certainly nurtured a distinctive sound throughout their 30-plus-release history. Releasing a high-quality body of work from a growing roster of artists, they’ve crafted a sonic aesthetic that oscillates between spare, ambient electronics and discreet, instrumental hip hop. When it come to label comps such as their new, self-deprecatingly titled The Condition of Muzak 2, such relative stylistic consistency works both for and against them. While it would be unjust to equate Expanding’ approach with label pragmatism – surely no one who releases ostensibly obscure, ambient electronic music can afford to be overly pragmatic – you do tend to get a feel for what you’re getting yourself into after just a couple of tracks. This latest comp – the second instalment in a serious that collates work from a bunch of limited 7” singles the label released between 2003 and 2005 – more or less, runs this course. The stripped back, melody-embellished groove of Flotel’ Bowd sets the scene, and New York’ Praveen further solidifies the comp’ direction with the stark beats, washy synths and subtle melodic inflections of Circle Song. Holkham’ Samphire throws a slightly different light on things at the halfway point with its dark, opaque bass lines and brooding undertones, as does Vs_Price’ Birthday 026, which also treads a lightly more abrasive path. Yet, both tracks make for a refreshing change of pace – shifting the paradigm a touch, without bending the record out of shape. The dense bottom-end and crisp break beat of Monocero’ Bells make for one of the record’ strongest cuts, as does Maps + Diagrams’ Impte Datae, while the tripped up polyrhythm of AM/PM’ The Ends remix – where he literally uses the end of each 7” in the series to craft a strong, multi-layered cut – proves a brilliant moment of asymmetry, and one of the record’ best tracks. When it comes down to it, you can apply a couple of different schools of thought to The Condition of Muzak 2. While you certainly know what you’re getting – the record does feel like it’s perhaps lacking a certain dynamism – the consistency gives the collection more of an album-like strength than most label comps. And this fact on its own makes The Condition of Muzak 2 all the more enjoyable.