Vancouver-based IDM / leftfield electronic producer Stephen Hummel (aka SubtractiveLAD) originally came from a jazz-improv background before his growing fondness for analogue synths apparently encouraged him to shift his focus towards a purely electronic sound. This latest album No Man’ Land sees Hummel accomplishing the feat of releasing three SubtractiveLAD releases in as many years through the respected n5MD label, though in truth, it represents a considerably different listening proposition to its predecessor, last year’ Suture. While that previous album saw the sharp electronic edges of Hummel’ productions brought to the forefront amidst complex rhythmic programming and contorted digital processing, No Man’ Land sees the electronic trickery retreating to a greater level of subtlety, the focus here falling more on poignant and slowburning sonic landscapes.
It’s also a record that feels considerably more “soft focus’ than anything Hummel has previously released as SubtractiveLAD, the fuzzy wall of guitar drone that powers beneath “Of Sand And Stars’ yawning ambience calling to mind the epic shoegazer glide of My Bloody Valentine and the 4AD label more closely than anything else. To a large extent, this increased overall feeling of warmth is a result of the increased incorporation of “actual’ instruments into his digital sound-palette, the delicate strokes of guitar that surface throughout “Bring To Light’s and “All Ways’ taking proceedings far closer to the slowburning swell of post-rock than Hummel’ ever previously veered. It’s consequently a SubtractiveLAD album that feels more palpably human than either of its predecessor, with the overriding sense being that on No Man’ Land Hummel is revealing far more of himself with his most personal, contemplative and gentle collection yet.
Chris Downton
